Cannibal Land
by Fairylust
Summary: Mello and Matt are two victims of fate who get lost in the woods. The shreiff forgot to mention deadly cannibals have been roaming a certain area of the woods. Will Matt and Mello survive? And will they be able to save one of the cannibals who like them?
1. Chapter 1

Grunting and growling like untamed animals several shapes moved silently across the campground. A family of four was camping. It was right nay the perfect time for the predators to make their move. An owl swooped low a couple yards away trying to catch a mouse, which was swiftly caught in its deadly talons.

Soon after the owl caught its prey, there were shrill screams and blood spatter and loud tearing noises as the tent and clothing were ripped apart. A teen ran blindly away thinking she could escape. She screamed and wailed like an idiot teen in some sucky horror film as she ran through the woods. "Somebody! Please, somebody help me! They're after me!" He screams got louder with each step she took.

"They're after me! Help, please! Oh, please, someone, please save me!"

She knew where she'd go. She'd go find the sheriff. Yes, sheriff Aizawa would know what to do! He'd save her and kill the monsters that attacked her family. He'd do something! She just had to survive the next few miles and hours. Yet she kept screaming like a retard allowing the ones who attacked to know which direction she was running.

"Please! Help me! They're after me!"

She gasped seeing something white up ahead. She quickly realized it was a person. A pure white child, he appeared no older than ten. Fear and panic gripped her. The teen knew the evil monsters would get the boy if he kept standing there. So she slowed her pace slightly and yelled to him. He looked at her, apparently baffled, with dark gray eyes.

"They're after me!" she wailed. "Run! They'll get you too! Run! They're after me!"

The boy seemed to vanish. She gasped when she suddenly saw a flash of white, felt a sharp pain in her skull as it cracked open, then dropped dead. Blood seeped from the large gash in her forehead. The boy stood over her holding a large rock in his right hand firmly. Looking at her limp body curiously he heard the others coming closer and closer.

"…Run…" he said apathetically.

He dropped the rock and continued to look at the dead girl. "…Run…" he repeated trying to grasp the meaning of the word. Trying to _comprehend_ it, and not succeeding, but he understood her sentence well enough. Strong hands soon grabbed her ankles as they drug her body off into the unknown darkness. The pure white boy followed close behind them.

Though he dared not speak the new word he'd learned.

(A/N: Was that like some sucky horror film or what? I wanted it to be longer but ya know not really feeling creative at the moment, so I made it up as I went along, oh, and I'll have another chappie up soon!)


	2. Chapter 2

Matt and Mello walked through the woods.

It was around sunrise and they had finished setting up camp over two hours ago. They had decided to go for a walk in the woods. The two teens packed backpacks with things they might have needed, including weapons, which the sheriff had provided them shortly after they met him. Just before they decided to walk they were called and warned by the local sheriff (Aizawa) that there were numerous missing people in one area of the woods and that they were to stay away.

He had said that they would know when to stop and turn their butts around and go back to camp. The younger teen, Matt didn't pay much attention when Aizawa started to talk about ribbons and other weird stuff that started to sound like a lecture…and the elder teen, Mello stopped listening as soon as it did start to sound more like a lecture…or a threat rather than a friendly warning. Not that either of them ever really listened when someone older than them talked in a lecture kind of tone.

They came to stop at an oak that had a green ribbon tied around the center of the fat trunk Mello turned on his heel as he had listened to some of what Aizawa had said and therefore knew that the ribbon meant for them to go away. Matt grabbed his wrist giving him a small smile. "Where you going, Mels?" he asked curiously.

"Back that way." Mello replied pointing towards the direction they came. "The sheriff said once we see a ribbon to turn around and walk the other way, unless it's a red ribbon. He said if we saw a red ribbon then we should run, not walk. Run. And whatever has been making the people around here disappear…I don't want to meet it…ever."

"Aw, come on!" Matt whined. "Aren't ya the least bit curious about why we shouldn't keep going? I mean, really, why shouldn't we keep walking? Didn't he say that the disappearances occurred only during the nighttime?"

"Well, look!" he said pointing a hand upwards. "The sun is out and shining! It isn't nighttime it's daytime. Come on! Nothing bad should happen if the disappearances occurred during the nighttime hours. Please, Mels, just a little further!"

"Okay, okay, fine." Mello relented hanging his head in defeat, then gave Matt a sharp death glare and smirked. "But if the zombies come after us, I'm totally tripping you."

"Wha?" Matt gasped. "Hey, that's not nice, and besides how do you know the zombies would eat me? Huh? They might like guys who eat chocolate better. So, I'll just tell them the secret hide-out you'll run to and they'll get _you_!"

Mello had his hands on his hips when he shook his head as if saying 'no' and rolled his eyes. He followed his energetic, redheaded friend soon after he bolted off in the direction, which they were told not to go. And unknown to them a dark figure moved swiftly to the oak tree and removed the ribbon. Tying it around their arm along with numerous other multicolored ribbons. They watched as the two teens disappeared from their sight up ahead. Brown eyes staring in their direction hungrily.

Matt tripped as he ran.

Mello helped him up and asked if he wanted to go back.

But the redhead said 'no' with a capital N and a capital O. It frustrated the blonde when Matt acting immature when saying yes or no. And Mello honestly didn't feel safe out there. He felt like they were being watched, but shook the feeling off after like an hour or so of walking around. Matt seemed to wind down after a while, losing a great deal of his energy. That was when they stopped walking and sat down to rest. "Matt, have noticed anything strange, out here?" Mello asked staring at the ground.

"No, like what?"

"Like how there aren't anymore warning ribbons or whatever Aizawa wanted to call them. And how birds don't chirp around here. Then there is the creepy, scary movie feeling that someone is watching us even though I can't see anyone around except for you. Besides those facts combined, don't you think it's a little strange that we haven't seen another living thing this entire walk? It's like animals avoid this area for some reason. Don't you find any of that unusual…maybe even disturbing?"

"Look if you wanna turn around, then we can turn around and go back to camp."

"Yeah," Mello said grimly nodding briskly. "That's exactly what I want to do, it's really creepy out here."

"All right which way did we come from?" Matt asked standing.

He wiped dirt off the back of his jeans as he waited for his blonde friend to answer. Mello also stood and looked around for a moment. "We came from-" Mello stopped talking as he quickly realized he didn't know either. "I-I think we came from that way?" he pointed a finger in a random direction. Matt bit his lower lip as he shook his head. "Follow me." He said grabbing Mello's wrist. "I'm pretty sure I know where to go." He didn't sound very sure, but the blonde didn't argue with Matt for once.

He just wanted to get the hell out of there! As they walked they noticed that things got eerier and eerier. The silences were long and the plants seemed to have thinned out as they walked. Rocks and dirt seemed to become more noticeable and storm clouds were rolling in. They headed in at least a hundred random directions before they decided to just turn around and head the opposite direction from where they came. After a short while thunder begun to rumble in the distance.

Mello glared at Matt as they sat down to rest and rethink their strategy.

"We'll have to get to find shelter soon, Matty." Mello said staring at the angry gray clouds. "What do you think we should do?"

"Well," he said moving his goggles from his eyes to around his neck and wiped his forehead with the back of his black-gloved hand. "I think we should find a hollowed log or tree…or maybe someone who could help us, so we don't get totally drenched."

"Who'd be out here?" Mello demanded.

"I don't know-"

"Hey!" Mello said in both frustration and realization. "Aizawa gave us cell phones, remember, we first met him and he tossed us two cell phones? He said that if we run into trouble we could call him."

He started to look through his pack, until he found the phone. He was more than relieved to see the phone had three bars. He quickly dialed in the number for the police and watched as the three bars on the cell phone dropped to zero, then rise back to three. He gasped and dialed again. He heard ringing and then someone picked up the phone. There was some static, but he understood Aizawa's voice fine.

"Hello, who's this?" he said sounding real friendly.

"It me, Mello, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, you and your little redheaded friend went camping."

"Yeah, well, we're lost."

"What?" Aizawa's voice was a mixture of alarm and shock. "How'd you get lost? Didn't you pay attention to the warning markers? Stop at green and turn around if you see blue, then run when you see red, yellow or orange ribbons tied around trees."

"We went walking, but didn't see any ribbons and now we're lost." Mello replied bluntly.

"Mello," Aizawa said sternly. "I want you to listen to me, very carefully."

"Sure." The blonde shrugged. "I'm good at listening."

"I gave you and Matt guns and ammo."

"Yeah." Mello said with a scowl. "What about the guns and ammo?"

"If you see anyone who looks strange or acts odd, shoot to kill."

"Excuse me?" Mello choked out in shock. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, it's a matter of life or death." Aizawa said sounding weary and suddenly faraway. "If you or your friend Matt see anyone, at all, who looks out of the ordinary or like they could be dangerous, then I want you to kill them, before they kill _you_."

"But-"

"I probably should have told you this, but I didn't want to-"

"What the hell should you have told us?" Mello snapped suddenly feeling hate and anger burn deep within him. "What _didn't _you tell us, sheriff?"

"Listen to me, Mello, people who went missing out there, a few have been found, dead. It appeared as though they'd been maimed to death or…or…I don't know…but their bodies were mutilated and recently…human bite marks were found on one of the victim's. A young man who survived an attack, he claimed that he saw his girlfriend's dissection while she was still alive and the ones who done it were-"

And that was when the phone went dead. Mello's eyes had widened and he felt himself break out in a cold sweat. Matt looked at him curiously, maybe appearing a bit worried. He watched as Mello put the phone back in his pack. The blonde seemed shaken and fearful. Mello really wanted to fall down, but he managed to stand up, yet he trembled. He was uncertain if it were from fear or anger towards the sheriff for not warning them sooner. If they'd known then perhaps they wouldn't be in that mess.

"What'd he say?"

"He said…if we saw…."

"What's wrong?"

"He said that if we see anyone who may look strange or dangerous, then we should shoot and kill them, without hesitation. The people, some who went missing, they were found, Matt. And…."

"Yeah?"

"They were mutilated." Mello said in a quiet, empty voice. "That stupid bastard didn't tell us. And after what…what happened to that girl…he didn't tell us anything, Matt! That lying ass didn't tell us anything!"

"Let's be mad at the bastard later, Mels, we need to get out of here!" Matt said glancing around nervously. "I really don't wanna stay around here, now."

Lighting flashed and they screamed as a shrill cry of pain echoed through the air. Rain began to fall. They ran blindly in a single direction, and tripped. They tumbled down a hill hitting rocks several times, earning them a couple good bruises. Once they stopped rolling they lay on the ground groaning in pain. Both of the teens looked around, but saw nobody, then another cry of agony made them scramble to their feet. They scanned the area, but saw not a soul. Another cry of pain echoed through the air, but this time….

It was closer….

Yes, it was much closer, but then it was gone. Slowly getting soaked Matt looked wide-eyed at Mello. "What now?" he asked in a low voice. Mello shook his head letting Matt know he had no clue what they should have done, but then Matt bolted forward into a thick bunch of trees. Mello watched wide-eyed, mouth opened slightly.

"Hey!" Matt yelled as he ran.

He seemed to have seen someone. And was chasing them, but the elder male was not sure if that was what happened with his friend or not. "Matt?" Mello croaked barely able to understand what had just happened. "Matt!" he called, starting to run after his friend. Mello felt worried and a bit angry. Wasn't the whole idea of surviving staying together? He stopped abruptly as he bumped into Matt and fell backwards.

"Matt what the hell is your…problem…."

He looked at what Matt was and couldn't help but feel chills roll down his spine.


	3. Chapter 3

A pile of corpses lay before them. Mello felt his face pale drastically as he counted a total of twenty in all. There were people of all ages, but he couldn't believe the brutality that he was looking at. The reek of decay was thick in the air around them, and the rain wasn't helping the smell. All of the corpses were nude, partially decayed and ripped open in some way. An elderly man who had a stubby beard and glazed brown eyes had his throat (literally) torn out and only the back part of his neck remained, and his chest appeared to have been torn open and his heart and lungs removed.

A young girl, who appeared only three with black braids had her eyes ripped out, one of her ears was missing and a chuck of her thigh was also gone, reveling bone. A teenage girl lay atop a boy who appeared to have been six when he died had half her face missing, appearing to have been crushed in by a hammer and her breasts were missing, only the fact she had been stripped allowed Mello to see she had been a girl when she was alive.

The boy she lay on top of was missing the top part of his head, showing his brains and an eye was gone, the remaining one dangled from the socket, and both his arms appeared to have been ripped off and lay off to the side. They lay beside a young man who was missing his entire middle half. There was so much gore and dried blood that Mello felt as though he'd blow chucks.

Wait, no, Matt barfed before him.

Then he followed his friend and puked in disgust.

The redhead let tears slip from his eyes as he pointed a quivering finger to a body that lay away from the rest. Mello saw he was pointing to a young girl who may have been fifth-teen she sucked in shallow breaths. She had short black hair with dark brown eyes; she appeared to have been Thai and was still wearing clothing. She wore a ripped pink dress that had red and blue roses all over it. She wore a sandal on her left foot, the other foot was bare and her head hung at an unusual angle.

Mello also noticed that her fingers were all broken, bending at odd angles that were almost painful to look at and so were her ankles. Mello saw bone poking out from her arm. Bone also poked through her left knee, one would see that the bone was cracked and her face was tearstained. She was dying, ever so slowly, dying. Blood was leaking from the corner of her mouth in a thin, slowly drying stream. Her throat was also shallowly slit allowing her to die painfully, and very slowly. The blood stained her clothes and in some small places around her throat.

"I-I saw h-her." Matt sobbed. "She-she was hiding in the trees…I-I saw her…I saw her, Mello, I saw her…."

"That's impossible!" the blonde croaked. His voice suddenly softened when Matt started to sob uncontrollably. "Even if she had been, you know, able to stand a few minutes ago, Matty, she wouldn't have been able to walk… much less run…or fucking move very far. Look, we have to call that bastard Aizawa and we have to tell him about this and we need to get the fuck out of here before we join the damn pile."

"She was the one who was p-probably sc-screaming." Matt said after barfing some more a thick amount of saliva slipping from between his lips. "W-we can save her…."

Matt ran to her side, Mello followed warily. The girl cried in slow, pained sobs that just made the blood flow from her throat quicker. She looked at the two elder teens through teary brown eyes. She raised one of her hands, which shook uncontrollably. She held a silver necklace in front of Matt's face. It was bloodied, yet shiny.

"Take this…Near…run…run…." She struggled to say, but blood spurted from her throat and poured from her mouth. She took in a labored breath, then let it out and took another in and let it out. "…Hurts…." She muttered blood pouring freely.

"Mel…!" Matt sobbed panicking.

Mello couldn't do anything. He was too horrified, too shocked by the raw brutality. What would make anyone, even a crazed killer wanna do something so cruel to anyone? Mello didn't wish what the girl was going through on even his worst enemy. It was too terrible. The girl stared at him with eyes that were slowly becoming glazed. She was in lots of pain, both physically and no doubt mentally. He knew what had to be done.

Pulling his gun out from his pack Mello shoved a bewildered Matt aside.

"Can you hear me?" he asked.

She gave a weak, barely noticeable nod.

"Okay, count to four in your head and all your pain will end, kay?"

She nodded again.

"One," Mello started as he loaded ammo into the gun he held. "Two." He said as he turned the safety off. "Three." He said in a broken sob as he gently rested the gun against the girl's temple. "Four." He said in a barely audible voice and pulled the trigger.

And she was dead.

Matt stared at Mello and the dead girl in both disbelief and horror.

For several seconds neither one of them spoke or moved. Then Mello stood after taking the necklace the girl had offered them and tossed it to Matt who caught it with shaky hands. He stared down at it with mute horror.

"Let's get out of here." Mello mumbled coldly.

Warm tears sled down his face, but Matt didn't notice at first since it was raining pretty hard. Matt wasn't angry with his friend. He knew that the girl was in a lot of pain and it was best that they killed her rather than letting whoever had done that to her to kill her. But that didn't make the fact that he'd just witnessed Mello kill someone, a girl, and not seem affected by it.

"We could've saved her…." Matt sobbed.

His blonde friend turned around, blue eyes slightly reddened, that was when Matt knew Mello was crying and that only upset him more. Mello was the stronger one between them. He was the lion, whilst Matt was the dog. He was the master and Matt the slave. Mello always seemed to be the most held together and seeing him crying made the redheaded gamer wonder if they were going to die.

"No, we _couldn't _have." Mello groaned looking at the girl's body sympathetically. "Yet in some small way, Matt, I think we sorta _did_. Matt, we need to get the freakin hell outta here before the killer comes back! For all we know he's watching us this fucking minute and he's pissed we killed her, mercifully! We need to freakin bolt!"

"Mels, we can't run from this!" Matt shouted pulling at his hair. "If we do the killer will get rid of the corpses and we'll look crazy! We'll look fucking crazy! Haven't you seen those movies?"

"What fucking movie did you watch?" Mello snapped at his friend. Matt barely heard Mello over the thunder, which boomed in the distance. "Who in fucking hell can move this many corpses? Tell me Matt who?"

Matt shook his head sniffling.

"Okay, let's go!" Mello said taking a few swift steps away. He watched as Matt held the necklace firmly, hesitating moving.

"Matt?" Mello muttered feeling totally weak. The gamer looked at Mello. Both of them were soaked. "If we find whoever did this…let me kill him." Matt muttered giving the pile of corpses one last glance. Mello nodded. They jogged off ignoring the rain just hoping to get somewhere far away and safe.

Little did they know, they had been watched, and they had been watched by the same figure that had ribbons tied around their arm. They watched the two teens from the tree branch they stood on. They growled from deep within their throat and looked at the pile of corpses and to the girl who was killed by the blonde teen. Climbing down the tree they scratched their head feeling as fat, black bugs fell from their messy, dirty ginger hair and to the ground. The bugs crawled around wildly, before they were crushed beneath a foot.

The squished bugs twitched slightly in death.

They shook their head and lumbered over to the dead boy's corpse and pulled out the eye, which dangled out from its socket and held it. They stared at it, and then they licked it. They savored the taste for a brief moment then popped it in their mouth and ate it. They laughed wickedly as they swallowed. Running in the direction Matt and Mello had headed they knew it was only a matter of time, before they got to devour their eyes.

Meanwhile, the two teens stood leaning against an oak tree's obese trunk, panting. They were silent, only their heavy breathing was heard, but Matt caught his breath quickly and was the one to break said silence. "Are we safe yet?" he asked. Mello gave him a glare and shook his head. "Not even damn close to safe." He muttered.

"I'm tired."

"So am I."

"I'm feeling a bit sick, Mels."

"So am I."

"I'm really hungry."

"So am I."

"I wanna go home and play some video games and pretend this never happened!"

"So do I."

"I hate my life right now! Can we switch lives?"

"Hell no."

"Why not, Mels?" Matt whined.

Mello gave him a look that suggested Matt was insane, but then he grinned. "Because, even though I think it totally sucks right now, my life is awesome."

"You're a major jackass." Matt pouted with a smirk. "You make me feel better even when you know we could die at any moment, but I still think you're a major jackass."

"At least I'm not a motherfucking moron."

"Cold." Matt said wiping rain from his forehead, it'd just stopped raining, but he was still soaked. And thunder and lightening was still going on and off. "That was really cold and harsh, Mels." He said rather calmly grinning a small powerless smile.

"Too tired to care." Mello breathed out looking up at the dark gray, cloudy sky with weary, half lidded blue eyes. "I'm too damn tired to care about anything I say about or to you right now." The blonde jumped slightly when thunder boomed loudly overhead. Lightening flashed making everything around them seem more than eerie. Matt chuckled nervously.

At that moment a cry of rage echoed in the empty air.

Mello felt someone slam into his side with incredible force. Then the next thing he knew he was facedown on the ground. Matt cried out in shock as the teen that knocked Mello over turned to him. He had ribbons of all colors tied around his arm and he wore a mask that appeared to have been made from a variety of bird feathers, a deer hide vest, lizard skin boots, short, shorts that appeared to have been made by red fox hide and gloves, which appeared to have been made of human skin, the thought sickened Matt.

The redhead dodged to the side as he was rushed.

The unknown, yet obviously savage teenage boy was quick and turned on his heel. He leapt at Matt, but was stopped in mid-flight and sent flying backwards as Mello fired multiple shots and hit him each time. The teen lay groaning on the ground. Matt ran to the blonde's side in both fear and concern.

"Mels are you okay?"

"Better than that fucker is." He replied. "Think we shoulder finish him?"

"Better than letting the bastard run around chopping people to pieces like…like…."

"Yeah." Mello nodded understandingly.

Matt sighed quietly pulling his gun from his pack.

He cried out as the teen that had attacked them stood and spat blood out at them. His mask fell off his face showing filthy skin that was tanned. He had dark blue eyes that were staring at Matt with a half crazed, yet hungry glare that was mostly hate mixed with insanity and hunger for their flesh. His ginger hair was messy, wet and filthy; leaves stuck in with mud, twigs, blood, what appeared to be tree sap and tufts of feathers were in tangles of his hair. Blood seeped from his wounds, but luckily none of them were fatal. The teen wanted to run, but was sure that his wounds would either worsen or slow him down, yet he knew he wasn't an equal opponent for his quarry. He wasn't used to fighting armed prey. He looked around as if he would find some way of escape even though he knew he wouldn't.

Mello stared at the wounded teen, who appeared ready to run. "What's your name?" he demanded. The teen looked at him perplexed. Mello stared at him hard as if he'd find his answer by staring the boy down, but he never got his answer. "What's your name?" the blonde eventually repeated. This time the teen appeared as though he'd speak but before he could get one word out a spear pierced his throat, stomach and chest, killing him.

Blood poured from his wounds and he made a few sick choked gurgling sounds before crumbling to the ground in a heap. _What the hell?_ Matt shouted in his head. Suddenly there was a loud cry of triumph. Mello pulled Matt down and they hid behind a fat tree that was nearby. They watched as another teen appeared. He seemed to be at least sixteen years old and he had short, messy honey colored hair with brown eyes and pale skin. He had dark rings below his eyes as if he hadn't slept in a long, long time and he wore regular clothes that consisted of: a white t-shirt, jeans ripped at the knees and matching black bracelets, which hung loosely around his wrists. He was soaked, muddy and his clothing seemed to have been stained by what appeared to have been dried blood. He reached down into one of his jeans pockets and pulled out a corkscrew. Matt and Mello watched in horror as he drove the corkscrew into the dead teen's left eye and twisted it around a few times before pulling a crushed eyeball from the corpse's skull. He laughed darkly at the sight of the impaled eyeball.

There was scrambling of feet and snapping of twigs, then another boy appeared. He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen. He had messy black hair and super pale skin he had the darkest rings under his eyes and his eyes…his eyes…those eyes were crimson red. He wore a black t-shirt that had a slightly ripped sleeve and jeans that were soaked by rain and blood. He grabbed the eyeball from his (apparent) friend and ate it. The two hiding teens (Mello and Matt) thought they'd puke, but luckily they didn't, they continued watching in horror and utter disgust. The elder of the two pointed to the dead teen's chest and the younger teen nodded in compliance. He drove the corkscrew into the corpses chest.

His friend then shoved him aside. The one who had had the corkscrew whined, but as soon as his friend gave him a growl of anger he whimpered and backed off. He sat watching as the raven-haired teen turned the corkscrew around and around causing blood to spurt from the dead teen's chest.

Mello saw that Matt made a face that suggested he was disgusted and wanted to bolt, but was too scared to move. The blonde sighed quietly able to sympathize with his redheaded friend. They watched the two teens that were at the corpse's side unable to turn away. The red-eyed teen finally pulled the corkscrew out making a sick squishy sound as it came from the dead teenager's chest. He licked at the blood on the corkscrew and giggled like a maniac. His friend whimpered giving him puppy-dog eyes and the raven relented.

He offered the corkscrew to his friend who licked at it gratefully. The raven-haired teen then began to rip the clothing from the corpse's body, starting with the shirt, then he removed the pants and then the gloves, finally he removed the boots and tossed all the clothing to his friend who dropped it to the ground and grunted with disapproval. His friend gave him a curious stare and the younger boy pouted at him. The elder teen stared to suck where the corkscrew had pierced the dead teen's chest and begun to suck at the blood like a vampire wannabe. Once his lips were all nice and red from the blood he stood up and flashed the younger teen a smile. He turned away as if in disgust.

Arms wrapped around his waist and he felt the elder teen nip at his neck. Matt and Mello could see where this was heading. And they didn't want to be around to watch the two psychos make-out or have sex. As they slowly eased backwards Matt stepped on a twig and it snapped. He winced and mentally face palmed whilst Mello gave him a look of horror mixed by shock and fear. The two teens who'd been standing over the dead teen whipped their heads in Mello and Matt's direction.

"BB!" the younger said to the elder who had grabbed a spear from the dead teenager's corpse. "BB…." He muttered again watching as the teen stared at where Matt and Mello were hiding. His eyes, his red eyes allowed him to see the world in a filter of red and he also saw names and dates of death. And they were quite handy when wanting to find where someone was hiding. He saw the corner of someone's name. "A!" he said sharply pointing in said person's direction. The younger grabbed the second spear and threw it.

Matt cried out in pain as the spear A through nicked his shoulder. He then fell from his hiding place and onto the ground. B was a great shot, unlike A and as he prepared to kill his prey he licked his lips, but Mello brought out his gun and shot B in his shoulder causing him to drop his weapon and causing A to stare in terror as blood seeped through B's black shirt. A gawped at Mello and then Matt and then B several times before he started to tremble and think of retreating. Hating weakness B tossed A the spear he'd dropped after being shot in the arm and before Mello could shoot threw it.

_Wow, this guy sucks at killing. _Mello thought, wincing in pain as his arm was nicked, but didn't lose his balance much. _Then again, he more than likely helped kill that other guy so I shouldn't underestimate him. _Mello thought giving A and B a death glare. B glared at A who stared helplessly back at him for a few seconds, then they bolted. "Hey wait you cowards!" Mello cried chasing after them. "Get back here and fight like men!"

Matt stood shakily and let out a shaky sigh before following Mello. "Mels wait!" he cried as he followed the pissed blonde. Lightening flashed as he bumped into Mello and they both fell to the wet ground.

"What happened Mello? Where did they go?"

"I don't know I lost sight of them for like a minute and they just seemed to disappear."

"I think I found a trail." Matt said pointing to the ground. Mello looked and saw drops of blood from where he'd shot the teen apparently named, BB or B…whatever…was leaving a trail of blood like breadcrumbs. Mello smirked upon seeing it. "Wanna follow it?" the gamer asked hoping Mello would tell him to forget it. But, no, that was out of the question.

Mello nodded and started to follow the bloody trail.


	4. Chapter 4

The blood trail stopped abruptly causing Mello to stop and stare around.

Matt panted hunched over behind him. His red hair fell in his face, matted to his forehead by sweat and rain. They had stopped at a stony wall that was the bottom of a steep, rocky mountain. From the looks of things it was too high to climb, yet there didn't appear to be any entrances or secret panels or anything. Mello ran a hand through his blonde hair glaring coldly at the stone wall before him.

"Any suggestions, Matt?" he asked looking to his friend.

"Yeah, let's forget about them and get out of here before they kill us." He replied wearily. "I'm really freakin tired. Any more running an I'll have a heart attack!"

"Hey, what's that?" the blonde asked as he ran over to what appeared to be a fallen log. He had seen something shiny and smirked upon seeing a black bracelet, which lay beside it. Mello looked closely and saw drops of blood and a set of footprints in the mud, which appeared to have been heading straight for the mountain's wall.

He picked the bracelet up and followed the footprints. He stopped at a huge thorny bush where the footprints seemed to have ended and frowned. He scratched the back of his head unaware of when Matt tugged his arm and begged that they leave before they were killed, and said that they wouldn't be able to help anyone if they were dead or tortured to death. "Please, Mels, think this through. Think something through for once. If we find them then who knows how many friends they may have with them? All I'm certain about is that if we find them we'll bring our chances of dying up to maybe seventy percent."

"If I were a psychotic savage who ate people, how would I get past a thorn bush?" Mello muttered to himself.

Mello brushed Matt's hand off his shoulder, ignoring the gamer as he crouched down into and animalistic crouch. He moved forward, taking a deep breath. _This idea better work and you better be behind me, Matt._ He thought closing his eyes as he begun to creep forward. He was surprised that the thorns only scrapped over his skin as he crawled through the bush, as he was almost certain that they'd have pricked him.

He heard Matt behind him groan as a thorn dug into his cheek and caused a very thin stream of blood to trickle from it. Mello felt a thorn stab into his neck as he got to the end of the bush and to a large, round entrance carved from stone. He crawled through the opening, followed closely by his redheaded buddy. Mello stood as he realized the opening led to a large cave-like area carved into the inside of the mountain. It was dark, therefore hard to see.

The two teens suddenly felt even apprehension than they had beforehand.

"I've got a lighter we could use, you know, for light."

"Don't you have anything better…err…brighter I mean to say?"

"Um, I might have a flashlight in my pack." Matt said as he began to rummage through his backpack. He felt around until he felt the end of his flashlight and flicked it on. Mello grabbed it from him as soon as the light came on. He shined it around the dark cave until he saw two other openings, which he was certain led from the room and to other rooms.

Exhaling sharply Mello turned to Matt giving him a stern look. "Which way do you think we should go Matty?" he asked quietly. Sighing the redhead stared at the ground. "Left?" Matt muttered uncertainly. His friend nodded and turned away from him. "Okay, left it is then." Mello said walking as quietly as he could towards the left opening.

Matt followed certain that they were gonna get into some sort of trouble. The corridor they walked through was surprisingly very long. It felt as if they walked for hours until the end came near. Orangey, yellow light flooded through an opening towards the end of it. Mello flicked off the flashlight. Sweat started to bead his forehead. He was in a cold sweat as he looked at Matt. The redhead saw many emotions, fear, anxiety, anger, nervousness and a bit of regret, flash across Mello's face all at once.

"Matt, if you get killed because of me, well, sorry." Mello whispered, face flushing. "The last thing I want is you to get hurt because of me."

"Yeah, same here." Matt whispered back. "Just remember, zombies."

The blonde grinned nodding.

He gave Matt his flashlight back and brought out his gun.

He signaled for Matt to do the same. The gamer complied tossing the flashlight into his backpack, then bringing out his gun. They made sure their weapons were filled with ammo, and then moved slowly towards the light. Stopping short both teens inhaled deeply before bursting into the room with their weapons held firmly, expecting to see a group of the crazed killers, but saw nobody was there. There was a fire in the center of the room that crackled, appearing to have been made recently, but they saw nobody else, other than themselves, was in the room.

"Hmm, nobody's here?" Mello said feeling a bit confused. "I was sure we'd find them here. Oh, well, live and learn, right?"

"Yeah." Matt agreed loosening his grip on his gun. "Maybe they went down that other corridor?" he suggested relieved that they weren't in any danger. "Or maybe they escaped before we could get here."

Mello nodded sighing. He leaned against a wall, which was warm, heated by the fire. "Thank God." He whispered glad that they didn't run into like a hundred of the crazed killers. He felt his muscles tense as he heard a soft gasp. He looked up to Matt who apparently hadn't heard anything. "Hey, Matt, was that you?" Mello asked bringing himself to a stand. The gamer gave him a puzzled look.

"Was what me?"

"That gasp. I heard a soft gasp, wasn't that you?"

"No…." Matt said starting to scan the room.

Mello looked around the room more carefully this time taking everything in. There was a bunch of moss, ripped pieces of cloth, what appeared to be cotton and variations of bird feathers made into large piles far off from the fire, but close to the walls as if to get more heat. There were also cracks in the walls and in one corner of the room was a hole in the wall, which could've been big enough for someone to hide in. Mello raised his gun as he saw a small, white hand move out from the darkness and into the firelight.

"Don't move!" he shouted.

The hand hesitated in movement.

"Come out here, slowly." Mello said clicking the safety to his gun off.

Nothing happened for several seconds. The hand withdrew back into the darkness in absolute fear. Mello was puzzled. He swallowed as he took a step forward. He felt his heart start to race. He didn't know what to expect. Actually, he expected to see a cannibal covered in blood ready to tear his throat out, however, seeing the small act of fear in that single motion made the blonde doubt he'd find something vicious, but he wasn't gonna throw his gun down and take a risk. When he was finally close enough to see into the small space in the wall he gasped in both alarm and discomfort.

He saw a small body wedged in the hole quite uncomfortably. Large, gray eyes stared out at him, and whoever was there wore only white. He couldn't make out much more than that because of the darkness. He lowered his gun and reached a hand out towards the figure, which attempted to cringe away but couldn't because they were in as far as they could go. "Mels what are you doin?" Matt cried from where he stood, obviously afraid his friend was about to get his hand bit off. Mello sighed turning away from the figure.

"I don't think that whoever this is, is dangerous Matt. They obviously aren't one of the guys who killed that other guy with all the animal skins or one of the ones who attacked us. I mean they couldn't fit into this space. I think this is a kid. Ya know, a _little_ kid."

"No way!" Matt said hurrying over to Mello's side. "A little kid? Why'd he be here? No wait, better question, why'd he be here and _alive_?"

"I don't know. But that's the only explanation I can think of." Mello said turning back to the small body hiding from them in the wall. "I mean I doubt an adult or teenager could fit into this small space, Matt."

The redhead and blonde sat their weapons on the stone floor not wanting to frighten whoever it was hiding from them. They knelt down and brought Matt's flashlight out, so they could see the figure better. Matt shined it directly in the break in the wall. They both felt a bit shaken to see a young boy who was clad in white pajamas that were bloodied and covered by grime. Dried blood was on his pale, white skin along with dirt and what appeared to be ash and soot. His snowy curls were also tainted by the filth. He stared at the two elder boys with teary eyes, which were half lidded and void of any emotion.

"…Please…" he mumbled covering his face with his hands. "…Stop…"

Mello looked at Matt who was apparently confused. The blonde quickly realized what the boy meant. He jerked the flashlight from Matt and switched it off. "Hey, what was that for?" Matt asked both confused and slightly annoyed. Mello tossed him the flashlight before he spoke. "The light was hurting the kid's eyes." He replied. Matt sighed as he put the flashlight back in his pack.

"I think we should get out of here, now." Mello said softly. "He probably wants us to leave him be, besides we've got two bastards to find and kill."

"But Mels, we can't leave the poor kid here, alone." Matt said giving the boy who hid in the wall a sympathetic glance. "Earth to Mello this place is probably crawling with hundreds, no, a lot of crazed cannibals! What if they try to hurt him? We can't leave him here to be killed like that girl was! It's inhumane!"

"You don't think I know that?" Mello hissed heatedly. Matt didn't respond as the blonde ran a hand through his blonde strands. "Actually Matt, I think he _is _a crazed cannibal." Mello finally said after some serious thinking of whether he should voice his thoughts about the boy or not. "Look at his clothes and skin. He looks like those other two."

"So then why doesn't he attack us like they did, hmm?" Matt demanded stubbornly.

"Look I'm not gonna argue with you Matt, but I say we'd do best to leave him here. I mean he's terrified of us and probably would make things a lot more troublesome for us if we decided to bring him along. And even if he wasn't any trouble and we survived this whole ordeal what will happen to him? Huh? I'll tell you Matt. He'll probably get sent to some research lab to be studied and experimented on or sent to some mental institution that'll treat him like a monster. If not that, then he'll probably be sent to a juvenile detention center…for murder…or he might just be killed. I mean seriously Matt who'd want to keep a kid who was raised and/or has lived with cannibals?"

"Mels, _we_ could keep him, ya know like how _you_ keep _me_."

"He's not a dog, Matt, we can't take him with us and expect people to let us keep him. Questions will be asked explanations will be needed. And what if he's got relatives out someplace looking for him? What if he was kidnapped and brought here like on that one documentary you'd watched last Halloween about cannibals where they kidnapped kids and raised them or whatever?"

"That's all okay. We can lie with ease, and that last part is totally farfetched and you know it! Besides if he has relatives who aren't flesh eating monsters looking for him we'll just hand him over to them and let them care for him. Okay? That's all reasonable isn't it? All I know is that if we leave him here, something bad will happen. I just feel it deep in my gut Mels."

Mello gave his friend a stony glare that gradually softened. "Why are you being so difficult?" he asked with a small smile.

Matt was about to reply, but instead he let out a loud cry as the boy leapt from his hiding place in the wall and onto him. Mello barely had time to grab his gun when Matt hit the ground screaming loudly. He was surprised when the boy got off him and rushed over to another corner of the room. "What the bloody hell was that for?" Matt gasped as he sat up and stared in bewilderment at the boy for a second.

"Are you okay?" Mello asked kneeling at his side. The redhead nodded still in shock. They stared at the boy who held the silver necklace, which was given to them. It shined in the light of the fire. The boy held it before his eyes watching it shine as it swung side to side. "Maki." He whispered grinning. "Maki. Maki. Maki."

"Maki?" Mello muttered in puzzlement. "Oh, that girl! Matt do you think that was her name?"

The redhead nodded slowly.

"How do you think he knows her?"

"D-do…you…think h-he killed…her?" Matt sputtered.

Mello looked at the boy and studied the happiness the name and necklace seemed to bring him, it was hard for the blonde to believe a murderer would be so joyful knowing their victim's name. Most murderers he'd heard of had forgotten their victims name moments after killing them. He sat and thought about it for a while and he ultimately decided that the boy was innocent of killing her. _He merely knew her._ Mello thought bitterly. _Perhaps, somehow, she was his friend._ Mello saw innocence and a malnourished intelligence within the boy that needed to be fed for it was starving. He also saw how broken the boy was and studied his body taking in the unfortunate sight.

The boy appeared to have been undernourished and weakened from starvation. He was really, really pale as if his skin had never seen the light of the sun before. His eyes were half lidded and despite the smile that crossed his face they were dead, miserable. His smile meant nothing, it was simply there, existing with no purpose. The boy seemed to have nothing but his clothing and that necklace and whatever memories were in his skull.

This boy, he was all alone.

Mello just knew Matt was right and they needed to help him, but some small part of the blonde shouted that it was a bad idea. Then he remembered himself being alone at one point in his life. He was only seven years old; it was shortly after his parents had died in a car accident. Months of loneliness truly felt like years and he was probably one of the most miserable people in the world, but then he met Matt and had never been alone since then. He felt his heart, which he had tried to harden into stone soften into mush. Mello sighed as he stood up, relenting.

"Okay, Matt, you win."

"Huh?"

"We'll take the kid with us."

"Re-really?"

"Yeah, unless he's already scared you so bad that you changed your mind."

"Oh, shut up." Matt sneered. "You were scared too."

"A?" the boy in the corner suddenly shouted. "A? A!"

Mello and Matt looked at the opening and saw the teen that'd been accompanying the other teen that'd been called BB. A glared at Near who glanced around the room nervously. "A?" he repeated trembling. Terror flashed in his gray orbs. His eyes then stared at Matt and Mello as if begging them to help him. The two teens, which were very, very confused, but knew to grab their weapons stood their ground frozen.

A was quick to make his move.

"Near!" he shouted angrily.

He growled as he ran, and the leapt on top of the smaller boy. He started to claw at the younger boy's face causing the white boy, apparently named Near, to screech in pain.

Mello dove for his gun while Matt stood frozen in stunned silence at how fast everything was moving. Mello aimed his gun, and fired. Blood sprayed the warm walls, causing them to hiss and also made the fire hiss as some of the crimson life sprayed into it.

All went deathly silent.


	5. Chapter 5

**Kay, sorry that this wasn't updated sooner! Oh, and Kit if you read this, pwease, update one of your stories. I'm bored without your awesome writing!**

**Anywayz...**

**I've been feeling a bit sick and a bit lazy, so I guess that's my entire fault. **

***Laughs nervously* And I am also sorry if this is not pleasing, but I hope it is! Pwease don't flame me, gentle flaming is welcomed, but no **_**intense**_** flaming is welcomed. *Putting up the flame shield***

**And I just wanna say thanks to all who have reviewed and enjoyed this story!**

**I am very grateful to all you reviewers!**

**I'll do my best to update if lots or at least a few reviews are made on this chapter!**

**Kay?**

**;^D**

**LOL**

**Winking face….**

**Anywayz, pwease feel free to R&R.**

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Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere. Some even got on Matt and Mello who were both really grossed out by it. Near went deathly silent his large eyes wide and mouth slightly open as he tried to process what had happened. He knew A was dead, he knew that A had clawed his face up pretty good, not bad enough that it'd scar but enough that it'd hurt for a while, and he knew that A's corpse was laying on top of him, but he couldn't move it was like his body forbid him from moving, at all. Mello ran over to the small boy and shoved A's body off him. The blonde turned to Matt who watched mutely.

"Matt you'll have to carry this kid. I think he's in shock."

"Well, yeah, watching someone's head get blown off would do that to a person!" Matt yelled as Mello helped the boy known as Near get onto his feet. "And why do I have to carry him? Ya know that he's…well…he's bloody…."

"Three reasons." Mello said glaring at Matt. "One: you suggested we take him with us. Two: you're not so good at shooting and killing people as me. And three: I think you could handle getting a little bloody if I ask you to get bloody. So stop whining and let's get the bloody hell out of here, before someone comes and finds us. If there are lots more of these flesh-eating freaks, then we'll need to get out before they find us."

"Okay, but-"

"No, shut up, and do as I say or I'll leave your butt here."

"You're lying."

"Wanna find out?" Mello snarled. "Just do as I say, dammit!"

Matt nodded obediently, but when he tried to even touch Near the white clad boy screeched as if Matt were a demon and pulled away in fear. He then jumped at Mello and clung tightly to the blonde's torso. Mello was surprised…not to mention uncomfortable. Matt was confused, very much so. And Near was just plain frightened and acting on intuition. Mello pried Near off of him and glared for a brief moment, before giving the boy a half smile and running out of the room. Matt sighed as he grabbed Near who didn't resist much, but was clearly uncomfortable. They ran down the long corridor with Mello leading the way. They were halfway out to freedom when Near started to struggle. Matt yelled as he lost his footing and fell. He hissed in pain as the cold, stone floor scraped cheek. He let out another cry of pain feeling teeth as they sunk into his exposed arm. Blood oozed from the bite. It was too dark for him to see who was biting, but had a feeling that it was the boy, who had been clad in white, known as Near.

There was scuffling of feet then a shrill cry as three bodies rolled across the cave floor fighting. Two cannibals had leapt on top of Matt and the redhead fought against them wondering where the hell Mello was. The cannibals obviously didn't want to share him, so they fought each other whilst trying to eat Matt alive.

The redhead wasn't gonna die without a fight, so he kicked blindly landing a blow to someone's stomach. He heard a yelp of pain. He felt someone bite into his arm again and let out his own yelp of pain. He threw one of his fist hitting someone in their face and he felt someone slap him across the face; he retaliated by kicking, landing a blow to somebody's hip. And hitting someone's leg causing them to fall Matt heard the scuffling of feet as his attackers fled whimpering and whining.

He panted hoping he was in the clear. He let out a cry as he felt something leap into his hair. He shook his head and clawed at his head helplessly. Pulling out something squishy, furry and dead he groaned in disgust realizing, despite the darkness that he held a dead rat. A light shone over him and he face Mello who appeared really concerned.

"What happened?"

"What happened?" Matt shouted. "What bloody happened? I was attacked and hurt and you…you…where the hell were you?"

"I got ahead of you, I'm sorry, really I am, but I think we should just ya know vamoose."

Matt didn't respond in anyway he simply followed his blonde friend as he was sure that it was obvious that he wasn't gonna stay and get ate by some cannibals. As they ran Matt told Mello about what had happened and the blonde. Mello listened feeling partially guilty for almost letting Matt get ate, but he was able to shake off most of the guilt and just felt angry for being impulsive in his judgment about that boy, Near, because of that boy he could've lost Matt. "Well, we can't feel bad if the little freak gets chomped, Matty." Mello said angrily as they got to the round opening, which was hidden by a thorn bush. "We tried to help and he double crossed us, we were just trying to keep him from getting ate, so it'll be his own damn fault if they try munch him like that other guy, A, I think was what they were calling him, did."

"Yeah, you're right, Mels." The redhead agreed.

They crawled through the opening. Halfway out Mello who was following behind Matt felt someone grab his ankle. He let out a choked cry as he turned to see the scarred, deformed face of some cannibal who had probably followed them wanting a free delivered meal. The cannibal held Mello's ankle firmly trying to pull the blonde back into the cave-like area where he'd hoped to kill and eat his catch. Unfortunately he didn't know that Mello wasn't like pervious trespassers who usually came in unarmed or alone. Matt had gotten out and stared in horror as his friend struggled to not let himself be taken and killed by the cannibal who pulled on his ankle. The redhead moved quickly. Grabbing his gun from his pack Matt clicked the safety off. "Mels! Take this!" he shouted to Mello holding the weapon out to him. Mello grabbed the gun and shoved it into the horrid creature's face, then pulled the trigger.

As he crawled out covered in blood, bits of flesh and brain matter and he had some of his blood trickling out from his face, arms, neck and anywhere else a thorn could reach skin during the struggle. Matt sat on the ground and as he started to cackle sounding like he had at last gone insane. Mello trembled as he realized what Matt was looking at. Skull and crossbones lay a few feet from the thorn bush. It was a warning they hadn't noticed.

"That's fucking messed up!" Matt laughed. "We should've seen that! Why couldn't we have paid attention? Why? Tell me, why?"

Mello shrugged.

"We were curious."

"You were curious!"

Mello shrugged again, this time wincing.

A loud wild, animal cry from behind them made the blonde jump slightly, causing him to lose his footing and fall to the ground. His redhead friend jumped to his feet and began to run. Mello scrambled to his feet and followed the gamer not wanting another confrontation so soon. He was tired and wanting some rest before they killed anyone else. He tried to concentrate on mostly survival, but his aching body kept trying to distract him. When the two friends at last stopped running it was late in the afternoon. So late that the sky was almost totally black with stars popping up here and there. Matt let Mello sit and rest, whilst he gathered large rocks, wood and dry grass. After he figured he had enough he made the rocks into a large circle and used his lighter to set fire to the grass and wood, making them a fire. He put the lighter in his back jeans pocket after that.

"So you do know how to do other stuff than just gaming." Mello teased once Matt sat down a few inches away from him. Matt chuckled without humor. He hit Mello in his arm, playfully. The blonde grimaced and a hand automatically flew up to where the redhead had hit him in his arm. He glared at Matt through teary blue eyes.

"Mello are you okay?" Matt asked with concern dripping from his voice.

"No, hell, my arm hurts." Mello growled. "Damn, did you have to hit me?"

"Sorry." Matt mumbled feeling like a kicked puppy. "I'd say I could help you feel better, but I _can't_ so I won't. So I'm sorry for being so useless."

Mello felt bad for making his friend feel that way. He gave Matt a kindhearted look and spoke in a softer tone. "I'm sorry, Matty, but I'm in lots of pain here. Damn Aizawa. Damn thorns. Damn cannibal freaks that have to exist."

"Yeah, I know." The gamer sighed. "I know."

Nighttime had fallen and Mello fell asleep faster than what he thought he would have leaving Matt to be a guard/look out. It was a precaution just in case the cannibals decided they wanted a midnight snack. Besides better safe than sorry, right? At one point Matt woke Mello up hearing something move in the dark, but it turned out to be an owl diving for a mouse.

It was safe for him to go back to sleep, but Mello refused and both of the teens stayed up. That was until Matt fell asleep. Upon noticing his friend was asleep Mello sighed shaking his head. _Just can't stay awake any longer when I might need him the most._ He thought scowling. He held his gun in one hand firmly as he stared into the fire Matt had built. After a while of staring Mello heard something move and it startled him, so he shot.

A barn owl fell from where it had been perched on a tree, now dead. Mello rubbed his eyes. The sun was coming up and Matt was starting to stir. He knew that he'd need at least a little sleep. He let his grip on his gun loosen. He jumped a s a hand touched his shoulder. Luckily Matt yawned letting Mello know that things were okay.

"You should sleep some."

"No."

"You should sleep at least for an hour or so."

"No."

"Come one you look tired."

"No."

"Mels, don't argue."

"No."

"Okay, whether you like it or not you're sleeping."

"I'm not tired."

Matt exhaled loudly as he raised his fist. Hitting Mello hard he watched as the blonde who usually would have caught his fist at the last second fell to the ground unconscious. "You're tired and you're sleeping, so deal with it." He said scowling. "And we're both gonna have to be ready to move. We can't be sluggish, not today."

He put the fire out and watched as Mello slept.

He didn't look so stressed or stubborn or mean in his sleep. No, he looked rather peaceful. And even though Matt wouldn't admit it to Mello or anyone else for that matter he knew he had the hottest friend in the whole world. He just wished he could think that at that moment, but couldn't because his friend was covered in dry blood and grime and looked sort of like one of the cannibals themselves.

He looked at his own clothes that had blood and grime on them and knew he was no different than Mello as far as appearances went. Yawning Matt knew he'd get his ass kicked for punching his friend, but he really didn't care. They had a long day ahead of them. He knew that as a fact as soon as Mello woke up and started yelling at him. Luckily, his ass wasn't kicked and Mello only grumbled after the yelling was over.

Unfortunately he didn't know or take notice when his lighter fell from a rip in his pocket. The lighter lay on the ground untouched for an hour or two, and then the lighter was picked up by a hand that held it gently. The one who held the lighter stared in the direction Mello and Matt had taken. They headed that way. After half the day they found the two teens, but instead of making their presence known and advancing they hid in a tree and watched the two curiously.

They decided to make their move at nightfall.

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Review! Yes, review and you shall have a chocolatechip cookie!

Not really...

Mello ate them all so blame him! *Giggles*


	6. Chapter 6

**Me: I think I did great with this chappie! Matt! Mello! Get in here and read it so I feel more confident! I haven't been getting enough reviews since some people are apparently lazy and don't feel like encouraging me or reviewing! I've been getting more favs in the story, author categories and alerts categories than I do with reviews!**

**Mello: Who did review?**

**Matt: Yeah, shouldn't you thank those who did review your crappy writing?**

**Me: Hey! That's offensive!**

**Matt: *Shrugs***

**Mello: *Rolls eyes***

**Me: Yeah, I guess you're right, though, Matt. I should thank those who did review. So, I'd like to particularly thank: Darkfire359, Escaping Dreams, Fluffyduck-01 and xLunaxNightingalexDuckx and I promise that I shall add all of you to my favorite authors listing! But I'd like to especially thank Darkfire359! You have been the most supportive and have been the one to review mostly! I'm so happy that you have been helpful and reviewed. I greatly appreciate it, thank you. **

**Mello: Nicely done, Fairy.**

**Me: Why thank you!**

**Matt: I could've done better.**

**Me: Oh shut up! Have you finished reading this chappie yet?**

**Matt: Yes! And I hate what you did to me in this chapter of Cannibal Land. I hate this chapter soooooo much! No, I just freakin hate YOU! You're so mean to me in this chapter, Fairy! I think I might quit!**

**Mello: *Fake coughs* Liar.**

**Matt: *Glares***

**Me: No! You won't quit because I'm paying you in free video games!**

**Matt: I hate you….**

**Me: Yeah, so? This is my story and it just so happens that you're a character in it so be grateful and be glad I didn't make you a cannibal that gets killed off…or whatever! So just shut the heck up!**

**Matt: I'm not your bitch to mess around with! You can't do this to me!**

**Mello: Yeah, Fairy, he's MY bitch to mess around with. *Smirks***

***Matt blushes***

**Me: Do you want me to make a lemon scene?**

**Matt: NO!**

**Mello: He totally DOES!**

**Matt: *Tries to strangle Mello***

**Me: Mello please tell our dear friend, Matt, who obviously doesn't seem to know, why he shouldn't make me angry at him.**

**Mello: Besides the fact she can revoke video game privileges and kill you off in her story. Fairylust is fate in this story; so Matty I wouldn't piss her off if I were you. Who knows what she'll do to you when she's pissed? She might make you turn into a cannibal, which then I'll be forced to blow your brains out…like with A. Poor, poor freakin cannibal A (sarcasm) ;^P**

**Matt: No she wouldn't! *Looks to me in disbelief***

**Me: *Smirks cruelly* I might if you make me angry enough, Matt. And you're honestly one of my favorite Death Note characters. So, please don't tempt me to have Mello blow your brains out with his gun and awesome accuracy at hitting moving targets.**

**Mello: Like I said she's fate. *Bites into chocolate bar***

**Matt: I hate fate! *Runs away to escape my cold glare***

**Me:** **And since I'm fate I don't give a flip if Matt currently hates me or not! Oh, and Matt I can't die of a heart attack! For one I am too healthy and for two…well… my identity if secret as far as Death Note characters know!**

**Mello: Hey, look! I found a Matt doll! *Tosses Matt doll to me***

**Me: Let's just see how much longer Matt will want to survive my story after this chappie! *Sticks tongue out at Matt doll and then smirks, evilly***

_**Disclaimer:**_** I DO NOT own Death Note or its epically amazing characters.**

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Matt sat on the moist ground with his head bowed as if in defeat as he realized that he'd lost his lighter. He _knew_ Mello was gonna be pissed at him. He knew that without the lighter they had no fire. He _knew _that he'd get the living hell beat out of him for losing such a valuable tool. He _knew _that his survival rate had dropped drastically. He _knew _that Mello would probably throw him to the cannibals who were chasing them if he revealed that he'd lost the lighter and Mello had collected all of the firewood for nothing. But he mostly knew…that he was utterly, totally and without a doubt…screwed.

_Oh, how cruel fate can be!_ He thought looking up at the sky, which was painted by the colors of an awesomely beautiful sunset. "I hate you fate!" he shouted giving the sky the bird. "I hope you die of a heart attack, no I hope you choke on your own writing!" He shut his mouth tight when he heard Mello approaching.

_Time to face the music, _he thought dolefully.

Mello returned with the last bit of firewood and tossed it into the circle of large rocks he'd made so the fire wouldn't escape. He turned to his buddy smiling tiredly as he wiped sweat off his forehead. "Kay, Matt lets light these sticks up and get a fire started so we can get some sleep. I'm fucking dead on my feet!" Mello said waiting for his best friend to pull out his lighter and light their campfire. Matt gave him a nervous smile, meanwhile sweat dripped from his forehead and down the back of his neck as he felt his stomach lurch. The blonde immediately knew something was horribly wrong.

"What the hell did you do?" he shouted at the redhead.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked tensely.

"You only smile like that after you make a major slip-up!" the blonde snapped grabbing the front of Matt's shirt and begun shaking him really hard making the redhead cry out. "What in the fiery pits of hell did you do, Matt?" he roared shaking Matt all the harder. "Mels!" Matt yelled, as he was shook without any resistance on his behalf. "Stop! I think I'm gonna puke!" He yelled feeling his stomach heave. Mello released him allowing him to hit the ground, sprawling. The blonde towered over him obviously worried and angry.

"What did you do?" he demanded. "Tell me and I might not beat the snot out of you, since you're my bestest friend in the whole, wide world…and…well…I think you should believe that I, your best friend, won't kill you if it's just a tiny mistake. Plus, I need you to survive this cannibal encounter. Just tell me what you did Matt. Trust me, Matt and I'll trust you, kay?"

Matt looked at his friend with wide eyes, but nodded. "Okay, Mels, I'll believe you and…and…I'll trust you." He looked up at Mello and let his nervous smile grow slightly. "Ya see Mels, it's the funniest thing. Really. It's just so funny that I think you'll-"

"Cut the crap, Matt, get to the point!" The blonde barked.

Matt stammered uneasily, "I-I sort of…l-lost…um…nothing…."

"What? What did you lose Matt?"

"The lighter." Matt squeaked.

"What?" Mello exhaled in shock. "Y-you lost wha-what?" He hoped he heard those words wrong. He hoped he didn't just hear Matt confess to losing the lighter. The thing that they needed to make a fire with, the thing that'd help them _survive_. "The lighter." Matt dared to squeak again. "I lost the lighter, Mels." He felt his breath get caught in his throat after the last word slipped from his mouth and then he inhaled deeply.

Mello let a smile spread over his face and he laughed. He sounded like he thought the whole thing was a huge joke. Matt laughed forcefully, fretfully, and horrendously with him. But he knew that Mello was tremendously pissed on the inside.

They laughed for what felt like forever, and then they stopped.

And seconds later Mello leapt on top of him and started to choke him. He felt so enraged and upset and disappointed in both Matt and himself, but mostly Matt. He shook Matt as he felt his chest burn with both anger that Matt was stupid enough to lose his lighter and fear that he'd kill his only true friend. "Mel!" Matt gasped, as he gripped the blonde's hands. "St-top!" he choked out. Mello glared into his green eyes as he released his friend. "You're so stupid!" Mello hissed. "How could you lose the fuckin lighter? We needed it! And now it'd dark and those freaks could attack us and eat us and kill us and…and…" Mello stopped to take a few deep breaths before he could hyperventilate.

"Calm down, Mello, we'll get through this." Matt said in a raspy, but reassuring voice. "And what happened to the whole trust thing where you promised not to get mad?"

"I lied." The blonde muttered.

Suddenly, there was the sound of leaves rustling and the snapping of twigs. Mello glared at Matt who was biting his lower lip. Neither moved nor seemed to breath as they glanced in the direction, which the sounds had came from. After several heartbeats, both boys dived for their backpacks and brought out their guns. Mello kneed Matt in the stomach. "Just stay out of my way, Mr. Screw up!" Mello hissed harshly. The gamer gave him a hurt look then nodded and quickly put his weapon back in his backpack.

A small yelp got their attention as a flash of white fell from a tree and landed roughly a few feet from them. It lay as a mass of white fluff for several minutes before shifting into a sitting position. He stared at the two elder boys without any hint of emotion, and then lifted a hand to twirl a lock of white hair. Mello let his weapon fall to the ground, but gave an uneasy chuckle as he turned to Matt. "Look we got a puffball following us." He said smiling somewhat amused.

"How long do ya think he's been…." He let his voice trial off as Matt shrugged. Both teens turned their attention back to the cannibal as he stood shakily. They watched in several tense seconds as he dug through his pockets, and then pulled something out and held it in both hands, face still blank. The chocoholic blonde looked to the redhead gamer who gave him a curious look as well. The boy, whom they assumed was named Near from the encounter back with A (shortly before they killed him), took a step forward hands still out offering them something. Mello finally decided to just walk over to him and see what he had for them. He looked into Near's hands and grinned.

He grabbed the object and moved quickly back towards Matt who had reached for his gun incase Near tried anything, such as attempting to kill and devour his best friend. Mello waved the lighter Matt had been sure he'd lost in front of the gamer's face. "You better keep this with you!" Mello said sounding more than serious. "If you lose this again I swear on all that is holy I'll beat you like a dog, Matty!" The blonde tossed the lighter to Matt who smiled apprehensively nodding. "Yes, ma'am I won't lose this again, ma." The redhead snickered. Mello smacked him.

"I'm not a girl!" he spat.

"Could've fooled me!" Matt snickered knowing that his friend hated when people confused him with a girl. "You remind me of a hot Russian spy I saw on a movie!"

"So…you're gay…and wanna be my boyfriend?" Mello smirked.

Matt blushed and stood up shaking his head in embarrassment. "That's not what I meant! I didn't mean sexy hot…um…err…I just meant hot as in…um…hot, hot? An-and I don't wanna be your boyfriend! Never, ever, never, ever, ever, never! You'd just make me the uke anyway! An-and…um…you'd just say no anyway!"

"You suck at lying to me. You totally think I'm sexy and to further prove your guilt you just admitted that you think I'm sexy hot like a Russian spy you saw in a movie, so shut the hell up trying to lie and tell me you're gay, because you obviously radiate gay. As you've just admitted that you want to be my boyfriend. Right Matty?"

The redhead nodded in defeat. "Yes, Mels."

"That wasn't so hard to admit now was it, Matty?" The blonde chuckled. "But you seriously suck at lying. Haven't you ever lied before?"

"Yeah, but not to you…or any other blondes." Matt fumed. "Damn my lack of skill!" he cursed kicking at the ground. "I guess I could lie to blonde if we get back home."

"Good, you can build skill by lying to-" Mello cut him self off and glared at Matt. His left eye twitched slightly as he processed what Matt had said. "Other blondes? What other fucking blondes? I thought I was the _only_ blonde! What else have you been lying about? Are you a transsexual stalker or something?"

"No!" Matt exclaimed feeling his face heat up. "I'm one hundred percent male with no obsession over anybody! I don't need other blondes! I just…like…blondes? Okay, I know other blondes beside you, so?"

"I outta fuckin kill you, right here, right now!"

"Yeah, then what'd you do when cannibals come after you?"

All of a sudden the two remembered that they weren't alone and turned back to Near who watched them expressionlessly. Near tilted his head memorizing all that he'd heard. Both Matt and Mello felt their faces heat up as they realized they just blurted a bunch of personal stuff out in front of the younger boy, but then remembered he was a cannibal and probably couldn't understand them, anyway. Mello sighed as he scratched the back of his head. Matt stood beside him studying Near who continued to stare at them blankly.

"What does he want?" Matt whispered to Mello.

"I dunno, but he gave us the lighter, so he must want something in exchange." The blonde whispered back. "I just wish he was able to tell us what it is that he wants."

Before Matt could say anything Near pulled Maki's necklace from his pocket and shown it to the two teens. His cold, dead eyes narrowed glaring at the two. "Maki." He whispered apathetically. "Maki." He repeated as if the two elder boys would understand if he repeated himself. After a few minutes of silence Mello felt something in his mind click. He turned to Matt who hadn't the slightest clue as to what the boy meant by saying that name. It didn't surprise the blonde since never was one to pick things up as quickly as he did.

"I think he wants that girl." Mello whispered to Matt.

They both looked to Near who was nodding shocking both of the boys further. "Wait he can understand us?" Matt gasped surprised. "S-so that means he understood everything we said?" a blush crept onto his face and Mello rolled his eyes.

"He probably doesn't know that she's…."

"Think we should tell him?"

"I dunno. Do you think he'd leave us alone?"

"Maybe. Or he might try to kill us."

"Wanna chance it?"

"Actually I think-"

"Maki." Near interjected glaring at the two as if they'd just committed a horrendous crime. Mello sighed running a hand through his hair. "I think we'd be able to fight him if he decided to attack, so let's break the kid's heart and light the fire so we can move on with our lives." Mello said looking up at the black sky, which was dotted by stars.

"And possibly end his." Matt added bitterly. "Yeah." The blonde agreed just as bitterly. He turned to Near who looked at him, still glaring. He appeared as though he honestly expected them to have had the girl. Mello opened his mouth to speak, but Matt slapped his hand over the blonde's mouth. "Are you gonna be harsh to the kid?" he asked giving Mello a questioning look. "Yeah, that's how telling someone they know is dead goes."

"Then, can I tell him?" Matt asked musing. "We don't need you making the kid go homicidal."

"Kay." Mello shrugged. "You gonna be harsh?"

"Hell yeah." Matt responded turning to Near. "You know that girl? Maki was that her name?"

Near nodded.

"Well, she's dead!" Matt said loudly taking a small, slow step towards Near. "Her death was very excruciating, not that you'll care! Your little buddies killed her so you don't have to worry about doing it yourself! Now buzz off! We don't want you, scram, scat, beat it, hit the road you cannibal freak! You could probably eat what's left of the poor girl's body if that's what you want, now get the hell out of here!"

Near looked at him with widened eyes. He processed everything after a couple of seconds of thought. He let his bottom lip quiver then he fell to the ground and curled up into a ball trying not to cry. Mello whacked his friend in the back of his head. "I said harsh not insensitive!" he snapped.

"Damn, it's the same thing!" Matt protested rubbing the back of his head. "Look it up in a Webster dictionary sometime! It'll say that harsh and insensitive are the same!"

Mello kneeled beside Near who shied away from his touch. Mello glared at the redhead who shrugged remorse flashed across his features and he kneeled beside Mello. "I didn't mean to make the kid cry." he muttered. "I didn't know cannibals could cry, actually." He added quietly. Feeling annoyed Mello rubbed his temples in frustration. "Just go light the fire." He ordered. "He might snap out of his grief and leave if we have a fire started."

Matt nodded; both of them stood and went over to where the firewood was and lit it. Near sat up and wiped his eyes. Sniffling he stared at the teens who sat side by side on one side of the fire. Mello was half hoping that Near would leave them alone, but he also hoped that he'd stay. It was confusing. He watched in shock as Near crawled towards him and Matt. When he reached them he laid his head down in Mello's lap. He snuffled ignoring when the blonde tensed up clearly uncomfortable and ignoring when Matt snickered at the sight. "Looks like he likes you, Mels." The redhead teased.

"Why me?" Mello groaned. "Why does he have to like _me_?"

"Probably because you didn't make him cry." Matt sighed. "And I can prove it." He said grinning. He reached a hand over to touch the boy, but he shied away and wrapped his arm around Mello's waist as if he expected the blonde to make Matt stop, which he didn't. "Whatever." The blonde scoffed trying to hide a smirk that threatened to appear on his face. "He'll probably leave after a while if we ignore him."

Matt shrugged carelessly setting his hands on his lap. He reached for his gun and held it gingerly. "Who's gonna be on guard?" he asked looking to his best friend who looked back at him with uncertainty. "I'll be the first to guard." Mello volunteered. Handing him the gun Matt copied Near and laid his head in Mello's lap. The blonde was irritated to say the least and was secretly pleased when Near shoved Matt away as if telling him that he was the only one allowed to lay on the blonde like that. The redhead pouted, obviously displeased, but didn't say a word and ended up leaning against Mello's shoulder, still annoying his blonde friend. A few hours passed and Near kept clinging to his waist. Matt eventually fell over in his sleep and lay sprawled on the ground chuckling in his sleep.

_What an idiot._ Mello thought smirking. He looked down to Near whose eyes fluttered in his sleep, but he didn't awaken. Mello ran a hand through his dirty white curls. _How is his hair so silky when it's so filthy and tangled?_ He mused. Near stirred and his grip tightened around Mello's waist. He winced as Matt kicked him in his thigh, still sleeping, probably having some sort of kinky sex dream.

Meanwhile, Mello felt really exasperated. He had a kid squeezing his waist and a redheaded gamer kicking him in his sleep. He wanted so much to just slap them both a good one! Too bad he felt tired, otherwise he'd have hurt the both of them. He woke Matt up a little later and they switched guard positions. When he woke up a little later he was surprised to find Matt asleep, the fire put out, a backpack was missing and Near gone. "Fuck." He groaned looking to Matt. "Hey, Matt, wake up!" he hissed. "No! Just ten more minutes ma." The redhead chuckled sleepily still half asleep. Mello stood up and kicked Matt in his ribs.

The gamer gasped fully awake.

"What?" he grunted rubbing his side in pain. "What do you want?" he demanded suddenly sounding angry.

"He's gone." Mello deadpanned.

"So?"

"Do you have your pack, cause I know I've got mine." Mello said without a doubt.

Matt's green eyes widened and he looked at the spot where he'd sat his backpack down. "That little thief!" He shouted angrily. As if on cue Near appeared holding Matt's pack, which was wet and bloody. The redhead glared at him, then ran towards him hoping to get his pack back, but instead startled the boy causing him to take off in the direction from which he'd came. Mello grabbed his backpack and followed after them. He stopped once in a clearing having lost sight of both boys. He stood puzzled then saw what had became of his redheaded friend and Near.

And he couldn't help but to laugh. Both Near and Matt hung suspended in the air. A rope tied around both their ankles. Apparently they'd come across some hunting traps and were caught. He couldn't stop himself from laughing. It was just so funny the way they both looked suspended in the air! Near appeared blank and was still holding the backpack, but Matt appeared ready to barf either that or ready to squeal like a girl! Mello couldn't help himself and laughed and laughed.

"Stop laughing and cut us down dammit!" Matt shouted down to him.

"Kay don't get your panties in a knot!" he laughed wiping tears from his eyes. "I'll cut ya both down! Just don't cry like some pussy bitch!"

Matt scowled at him not finding his situation at all amusing.

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**R&R, pwease! All reviews are appreciated and I will update these stories faster if I get more reviews, sorry if that sucks but that's how I operate.**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer:**_** I DO NOT own Death Note or its epically amazing characters.**

**;^P**

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Mello watched as Matt fell to the not-so-soft-ground after he was released from the snare he'd been caught in. The gamer landed with a hard thud and lay moaning in pain for several minutes. Near however landed on his feet as though he was a cat surprising Mello and his redheaded friend, who was still pissed the albino had taken his backpack. Near held the pack tightly causing blood to drip from the bottom. It made both of the teens feel sick as they wondered what he put in the backpack that'd give off so much blood.

They had a sick feeling in their guts that told them it was a human head or some other body part that'd totally gross them out, but before they could get the pack from Near he climbed up a tree and sat on the lowest branch, which was several feet from the ground. The boy seemed to be musing while Matt yelled threats and curses at him from below. "Hey!" Matt yelled trying to get Near's attention as he felt he was being ignored.

"You better listen to me you stupid prick! C'mon down, you damn cannibal freak! Give me my bloody backpack back or so help me I'll kill you! Are you listening? Hello? Come on, kid we're wasting time! Oh, but you don't damn well care do you? Damn you! Damn you to hell!"

"Matt, shut up!" Mello snapped in annoyance. "It's obvious he won't come down because you're either scaring him or annoying him like you're annoying me. So just shut up and he'll come down after a while, hopefully."

"Mels, " Matt complained "the longer we stay here the more likely we're to die! How can you be so calm? Usually you're the one spazzing out!"

"Well, Near is just a kid and probably doesn't know any better because of the whole…you know…cannibal thing…."

Matt rolled his eyes.

"Do something useful and check around for more traps, kay?" Mello said looking up at Near who watched them with wary gray eyes. "I'll try to convince him to come down. If he understands what we say to him, then maybe I can convince him to give your backpack back and come down from there, not necessarily in that order."

His redheaded friend nodded. Several minutes later Matt disappeared and Mello looked up at Near who gave them a suspicious, yet still blank look. Mello smiled at him making sure to appear friendly. But Near wasn't at all as stupid as they thought he was.

The boy knew Mello was still armed with a gun and that by coming down he'd be risking his life and not only the food (**A/N:** Matt and Mello don't know what kind of food!) he'd caught. Near knew who his enemies were as he'd made many and they made it obvious to him that he was their enemy as well. He already had a long list made in his head. The one who called himself 'Matt' was at the very top, having recently earned Near's contempt.

"Hey, kid," Mello called to him in a strained voice that was caught between calm and anger "could you toss me Matt's backpack, like a good little twerp? Matt and me will leave you alone and be on our way if you give me that back, okay?"

Near felt insulted. He wasn't a moron. He knew that if he gave it back then they would have no further use for him and would probably kill him. If not that then they'd steal the food and leave him abandoned, not just alone, but _abandoned_. He liked the blonde known as 'Mello' but didn't like how he spoke to him. As if he were a child. Insulting.

"Come on, please, come down." Mello called up to him feeling sick. He forced most of those words out, especially the please. Near seemed to relent as he stood on the branch as if he would jump down. Mello became nervous at that thought. "Hey, don't jump. Don't do anything hasty, kid…or suicidal! Just drop the bag and climb down." Ignoring Mello Near leapt and was caught by a blonde who glared at him. "I said don't jump, you could've gotten killed!" Mello scolded. "Are you like a suicidal loony or something?"

Near shook his head as Mello dropped him to the ground.

"Good." The blonde hissed angrily. "Cause I'm not gonna be around you every six seconds of the day!" He took Matt's bag from Near noticing a strange, nasty smell coming form the bag. "Now beat it," he muttered. "I mean it! Scram!"

Near looked to him blankly.

Mello sighed, "Go on now."

Near didn't budge from where he lay on the ground, still staring blankly at Mello. Asking obviously did no good. Okay, let's see how brave you are. Mello thought bringing his gun out and pointing it down at Near who still didn't move, but his eyes seemed to portray two emotions that Mello and Matt had all-too-recently felt: terror and dread. The two emotions only lasted for so long, before they disappeared from his face and were replaced by his poker face that suggested he wasn't at all afraid, but Mello knew he was.

"Near," he said firmly, angrily, "if you don't get the hell out of here I swear I'll kill you."

The albino sat up. Mello expected him to bolt, but to his ever-growing surprise Near didn't run. He simply took hold of Mello's wrist and guided the gun the blonde held to the center of his forehead. It shocked Mello that he'd be so brave…or perhaps he already knew Mello wasn't going to kill him. Jerking away from the boy the blonde scowled. "You're crazy." He muttered angrily putting his gun away.

He opened Matt's bag up and saw small bloody dead animals were on the inside. Several small, brown mice lay with glazed fear filled eyes they appeared to have been skewered through their middle halves. There was also what appeared to have been a few small minnow fish that were horribly mauled. There were two dead baby birds that appeared to have been squeezed to death.

And there was what looked like a mole that had its belly sliced open. Its intestines were falling out. Mello was totally disgusted and dropped the bag to hold his stomach, which heaved uneasily. Near was tempted to grab it but was stopped when Matt appeared as if from thin air and snatched it up. "Don't look-!" Mello gagged sounding sick. Matt looked anyway and also gagged. Near rolled his eyes and grabbed the bag.

Both Matt and Mello watched as he pulled out one of the dead fish and popped it into his mouth. They watched in disgust as he chewed it and savored it and finally swallowed. They were tempted to vomit, but instead shook their heads and groaned sickened. Near licked his lips as they did so. He stared at the two teens who stared back him looking at Near's lips, which had been stained cherry red by the fish's blood.

"How can he eat that?" Matt asked squeamishly.

"Don't ask me!"

"It's so gross!" Matt groaned with repulsion as he grabbed the bag and tossed it off into some bushes. "So fuckn disgusting!" he scowled. "I fuckin know!" Mello groaned. Near gave them a blank stare, then a stare of annoyance. "Oh, God, that was so gross!" Mello groaned again then thinking about the fish. "Matt! I just had an idea!" The redhead looked to him suddenly eager to hear what his friend had to say.

"Yeah?"

"Those fish…they had to have come from a stream or lake or river or some water source…."

"Yeah? So?"

"We could get water from that natural resource and might even be able to find a way out of these damned woods. Near could show us how to get there!"

Matt turned to the little cannibal who stared at them with blank, half lidded gray eyes.

"Think he'll wanna help us?"

"Why wouldn't he?"

"He's a cannibal and we're his dinner." Matt said simply giving Near a look of distrust. The smaller, younger boy returned the look with a bit of spite. "Actually…I don't think that's how he sees it." Mello said smiling. "Hey, Near." He said to get the boy's attention. Near looked to him apathetically.

"Can you show us where you got those fish?"

Near seemed to muse to himself, then nodded.

"Kay, let's go before it gets too dark." The blonde said standing shakily.

**

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Sorry this is so short but at least I updated, huh, right?

**Updating is a good thing.**

**Pwease R&R!**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:**_** I DO NOT own Death Note or its epically amazing characters. **

**;^P **

**This chappie is short and mostly about BB.**

**Sorry fur those of ya who don't like BB!**

**Kay, sorry that this wasn't updated sooner and that it's so short! I've been a bit lazy, so I guess that's my entire fault. **

***Laughs nervously***

***Sighs***

**Pwease don't flame me, gentle flaming is welcomed, but no **_**intense**_** flaming is welcomed. I'll do my best to update if lots or at least a few reviews are made on this chapter, which I believe I did well on! As I said before I'm sorry that this wasn't updated sooner and that it's so short!**

**Forgive me?**

**Yes? No? Pwease tell me!**

**Anywayz, I think I did good on this.**

**Kay?**

**:^D**

**LOL**

**Smiling face….**

**Hope ya enjoy...****and pwease feel free ****to review!**

**;^P**

**Pwease review!**

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BB let out a howl of grief as he had recently found that his friend/lover was dead. He'd skinned his friend's face all up and had his skull to remember him by, but he was still royally pissed and upset that he'd lost A. And any cannibal who had enough brains knew not to disturb the red-eyed raven while he grieved otherwise they'd pay with their life. Well, recently, BB had killed whomever he liked. He was so angry and so sad that he didn't know what else to do other than kill.

He sniffled as he remembered that Near was reported to be missing; presumably dead.

He knew the intruders he and A were hunting probably took him away. He didn't like Near. He despised him. He wished the little brat would die. He looked so, so much like…like that…that…that…that damn traitor! The same damn traitor who led half of their clan to their deaths and had been slowly killing them off ever since.

The same traitor who was banished and almost killed by BB and his two friends A and CC; the traitor killed CC but BB and A managed to shove him off a cliff and into a river. BB was sure that he'd perished, but found several weeks after his alleged demise that he'd survived.

It really sucked, especially since he tried to kill them ever since.

Well, A was dead and B was really pissed.

After a while he managed to convince himself that letting Near live was a huge mistake and he should have killed him as soon as he could when the boy was defenseless and not so clever as he was now. BB suddenly felt regret swell inside of him.

Now L probably had the young boy and BB had nothing to threaten L with. Before he'd used Near when L had had him cornered and he'd threatened the boy's life of course L faltered and BB almost killed him, but L was as sly as a fox, he was as merciless as a rabid cat, he was as deceitful as a starved dog and he was as dangerous as a rattlesnake.

BB had learned it all too well.

He'd gained two barely noticeable scars from his encounters with L. Both were from arrows. That was L's style. He attacked with arrows. He was a clever bastard that much BB would admit, but even if L had him down the elder never had the heart to kill BB. It was his weakness that he was no murderer and wished to never become one. BB laughed to himself as he realized that L was more of a murderer than what he thought he was.

He killed people, but he always made excuses.

He always talked of it being the right thing to do and that he wasn't the villain. BB shook all thoughts of his mortal enemy from his head as he stood and stalked from the room.

He crossed a pair of cannibals who were eating and fighting over what they were consuming. BB ended their fight as he snapped the neck of the elder cannibal in a fit of rage. The younger was too terrified to eat while BB watched him. His blood red eyes glaring down at him coldly waiting for him to make a single movement, but of course, he didn't knowing what the consequences would be if he did. BB stormed off and secluded himself outside of the caves, which he lived with the others.

He suddenly shifted his thoughts to Near.

He wanted him dead. He wanted to watch the boy's face contort in pain and hear his angelic voice screech in agony as he stabbed him over and over with a spear or as he beat him to death with a large stone or perhaps even as he thrust in and out of him in a brutal rhythm. He wanted to kill him and L and the two intruders responsible for A's death. BB was always an animal on the prowl, but A had managed to keep him restrained, but now that he was dead that beast that was inside of BB demanded that he get blood.

And with a cruel smirk plastered on his lips BB grabbed him a spear and two stone knives and headed off to hunt down his quarry. Before he was done the forest would have four extra bloody corpses lying about.

BB would make sure of that.


	9. Chapter 9

Near nuzzled against Mello as he awoke early in the morning.

Both Matt and Mello were still asleep. Both had been disappointed when they discovered that the river only led to a waterfall, which ended a couple miles off, but was still smack-dab in the center of the forest, which they were trying so hard to escape. Near didn't get why they were so disappointed until he realized that it was an escape route that they were searching for and not a food source.

The teens had whispered back and forth. The eldest shook his head, making his blonde hair sway side to side, and the younger gave him a look of disbelief with wide green eyes then glanced over to Near, who at the time had been sitting quietly a few feet from them. Near wondered what they were speaking about, but didn't bother trying to figure it out. It would've been a waste of his time.

Or so he thought.

The strange teens he was with were very cagey around him, but on the bright side the eldest seemed to be the nicest. Meanwhile the younger redheaded teen was distrustful and more cautious around Near than what Near thought he should've been. Not that the albino cared. No, he just found it annoying that Matt would watching him and whisper stuff to Mello and act…well…very, very unusually strange.

Anyway, the two decided to camp for the night.

The next morning Near woke hearing something move a couple feet from where he lay.

Something that had moved in the underbrush brought Near to full consciousness. He quickly climbed a nearby tree and watched warily as a small creature came out of the shrubs and foliage. He recognized it as a creature that needed to be avoided. It was a skunk. Near recognized the disgusting, little creature and climbed higher into the tree. As a small boy he'd seen his fair share of skunk attacks and didn't like the smell they sprayed on their enemies or attackers, at all. He let out a loud, warning cry to Mello and Matt who both woke up after several minutes. Matt was the one who angered the skunk when he let out a cry of alarm upon seeing it. The skunk hissed and with each moment that passed it was becoming angrier. Its hair rose like a cat's hair would and stood on end. Mello ran off into the woods not wanting to get sprayed, whilst Matt followed.

Near watched from his hiding place as the skunk waddled over to where Matt and Mello left their bags. It sniffed their bags and to Near's surprise unzipped one of the bags. It sniffed some more before it pulled out a rectangular bar wrapped in some sort of shiny material that Near had seen before, but didn't know the name of. He watched curiously as the black and white creature sniffed and gently clawed at its prize. Near, feeling curious, dared to climb lower to watch the creature. Soon he was on the ground and crouching down close by the tree trunk. He watched as the skunk turned to stare at him. It sniffed the air, hissed then ran off in fear sensing Near was a threat to be avoided at all costs. Near moved over to the rectangular bar after the skunk was gone.

He sniffed at it as the skunk had. It smelt sweet. Not too sweet, but simply sweet, in a good way. He liked the smell of it and decided it must have been good, but was still cautious. He pulled some of its wrapper off, slowly, at a random corner. A brown corner was revealed. Near stared at it for several moments.

He gave it a curious look.

Licking his lips nervously wondering what to do next Near done the only logical thing that came to mind and bit off a small bit of the corner. It was bitter, yet had a sort of sweet edge to it in his mouth. It melted on his tongue as he moved it around in his mouth experimentally. He decided that he didn't like this substance very much. It lacked a certain flavor Near was used to and besides that it was much too bitter for his tastes.

He was about to toss it aside when he heard a strange clicking noise. A shadow soon cast over him. His eyes widened temporarily as he just stared at the ground. He looked up and saw a strange looking man who held a weapon similar to Matt and Mello's. "Come along quietly, or else I'll kill you." He said through gritted teeth. Near felt his body start to involuntarily tremble. He looked around for Mello and Matt, but saw neither of the teens were around. He looked down at the bar he held and then to the man.

What choice did he have?

He thought for a minute and knew he had no choice whatsoever. The man had a weapon and he had no weapon. The one with the weapon always won. Near knew this, for he was no fool. He'd learned from watching many fights that if one had a weapon then their chances of survival were pretty high, but those without a weapon had more of a chance to die than to survive.

Wrapping the material back over the exposed substance he put it in his pocket and stood up looking down at the ground feeling helpless. He didn't struggle when the strange man forced him against a tree and tied his wrists behind his back. Near erased whatever hope he had at escaping by climbing a tree. He was shoved forward and fell. He was promptly kicked afterwards he was forced to his feet and led off having a bad feeling. No, he had a _dreadful_ feeling that something bad was going to happen to him. Near whimpered as he felt something strike the back of his head. His last thoughts, before he blacked out, were wondering where Mello and Matt had run off to or if they'd be able to help him.

His body fell to the ground limp.

Mello and Matt stopped running.

"Where is Near?" Mello asked his friend who looked around after being asked. "I-I think he was back there." Matt said looking in the direction they'd came from. "Damn, we're gonna have to go back for him _and _our stuff now." The redhead added bitterly.

"Oh well, let's just hope he hasn't been sprayed." Mello said sighing, then chuckling nervously.

Matt groaned at the idea. "If the brat smells like road kill we're dumping him." He quickly said with a small, joking grin. He then started to laugh. Mello laughed with him.

They stopped and headed back to camp after a few minutes but found Near had vanished completely. "Where did the little fella run off to?" Matt asked Mello who shrugged. The blonde inspected the bags, whilst Matt looked around for Near. Mello was pissed to find one of his last four chocolate bars were gone. He looked about making sure that Near wasn't hiding in some bushes or in a tree or whatever.

"Mels, I found something!" Matt yelled before he ran into Mello.

The two collided and landed in a fighting heap. Mello came out the victor. He stood angrily. Kicking Matt in the ribs he swore so loudly and said so many obscenities and insults that a sailor would have blushed with shame if he were to have heard. Finally when the blonde was finished beating his best friend to a pulp and Matt regained his senses he stood up and prepared to snap at Mello, but then decided against it.

"I found some blood."

"Blood? Where?"

"Follow me." The redhead said after grabbing his bag and running off in one direction. Mello followed Matt a mile away from where they were and Matt showed him several drops of blood, which stained the grass. The blood started to puddle in some spots, and then, unexpectedly screams ripped through the air. Both of the friends found themselves running towards the awful sound, but by the time they had got there all was silent.

Near was huddled between some bushes crying and a corpse lay mutilated and in a huge puddle of blood. Arrows protruded from the corpse's chest and throat. Mello looked to make sure Near was okay, meanwhile Matt looked the body over used to seeing such horrible things by now. He turned to his friend who was comforting the younger boy.

The small boy, however, refused to be touched or even spoken to, therefore Mello didn't get any answers when he begun asking Near about what had occurred between him and the strange man and where had the arrows came from. "Near? Who was that?" Matt demanded when Mello gave up. Near shook his head and whimpered, refusing to speak.

But he knew what the man's intentions were. He knew that this man was bad. He was not a cannibal. He was an outsider, like Mello and Matt, but he was an evil outsider. Mello and Matt weren't evil. They were good. That was what Near reasoned, anyway.

He watched as Matt pulled an arrow from the man's body and examined it.

"Mels, these were hand made."

"How can ya tell?"

"The arrows look like they were carved and painted. That's all I really need to see to know that these were hand made."

Near groaned feeling sickened when he felt something crusty on his throat and the front of his shirt. He wiped at it and studied it in his hand. It was that sticky, wet stuff. Ugh. He made a face of disgust as he realized that it must have dried. Matt noticed and didn't have to be a genius to put two and two together.

"Mels," he whispered, "I think he was almost raped."

"Huh?" Mello gasped looking at Matt with an expression, which was caught between curiosity and shock. Matt motioned to the dried white stuff, which the blonde automatically realized was probably cum. It didn't take Mello long to realize what Matt did and he suddenly felt glad that the body before him was dead.

He gave it a rough kick, the turned to Near who was whimpering quietly to himself. The blonde crouched down beside the pale boy who inched himself away from the blonde. "It's okay." The chocoholic reassured. "We'll get out of this damned place eventually, and when we do, we'll be safe. You'll be safe, too, Near."

He wrapped an arm around the boy's scrawny shoulders reassuringly. Near took this time, one of the worst times, to pull the bar from his pocket and show it to the blonde who went wide-eyed. "You took my chocolate?" he exclaimed snatching it from Near's hand. The boy jumped slightly. Matt chuckled and rolled his eyes. Mello glared at Near, but knew that the boy didn't know that it was his addiction, so he gave Near a soft smile and curtly explained why he shouldn't take his chocolate. Matt knew that the little cannibal got off with a good warning. It was better than getting your ass kicked.

There was a sudden inhuman howl and all six eyes looked around frantically. Near let out a terrified half whimpering, half scream sound. Mello knew that something bad was about to happen, but it wasn't until Matt let out a cry of pain that he knew what.

Matt didn't have time to speak before an arrow pierced his left shoulder, and then his right. Another arrow pierced his leg and another went into his arm. Three arrows went into his back at the same time. He fell to his knees then landed facedown with blood dripping from between his lips.

Mello let out a strangled cry that was blocked by a sob. Near seemed to have went limp and gone blank, dazed by what had just occurred. Mello forced him to his feet and kept a firm hold to his wrist before they started running. Unfortunatly, what Mello didn't know was that Matt was still (amazingly) alive and breathing. He saw a hazy figure appear a few feet from him. He wondered what would become of him, but soon found out.

Screams ripped through the empty air making birds fly, and then all was silent.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry that this is short, but I think that I did a good job.**

**Ppwease, enjoy.**

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**~Fairylust~**

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His green eyes burned with more tears, his tender body trembled with fear and pain.

Matt wished he could see what was happening, but his eyesight was too blurry and unfocused for him to make out much of anything. The redhead swore and cried out as unfamiliar hands tried to restrain his struggling body. Something cut into one of his wrists but he broke free from the painful grasp. Matt resisted all the hands and fought against the pain trying to free himself fruitlessly. Something wet and sticky stung at his wounds. Finally when he gave up fighting and relented he felt as though someone was shoving a hot iron poker into his stomach.

He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Matt felt someone yank an arrow out after moving it around a couple times. The redhead cried out as something ripped into his body. It felt like a hot knife. Something was slapped against his face.

It was cold and wet, yet surprisingly soft.

He swore loudly as he felt something cut into his stomach. Blood gushed out and something jabbed at his insides. Someone forced his mouth open and shoved a thick piece of leather in, while he felt someone else tie his limbs together.

A sharp feeling stabbing in and out forced him to bite into the leather.

He felt string, which was more than likely attacked to a needle as it slid in and out of his flesh. Then he just felt needles as they were repeatedly stabbed into his arms. He let out noisy broken sobs unable to bear much more. That didn't deter his tormenters. They continued to cause him pain. Matt felt like he was going insane from the sheer agony of what was being done to him. Something sliced down his cheek. He was certain that it was a knife of some kind. He heard someone scream it sounded like a girl but he wasn't sure, and then there was an argument.

It gave him a five second break before the pain ensued again. Blood ran down his face along with sweat and tears. The feeling of something hot searing into his abdomen made him let out the loudest cry of pain he'd ever made in his entire life. Matt felt the coldness as liquid was poured over his wounds. A horrible stinging pain followed the coldness, which was worse than a thousand wasps stinging at once.

Someone kept him held down while another person forced the leather out of his mouth and choked him on water. The leather was put back after he stopped choking.

The torture then continued.

He felt something heavy slam down on his chest at one point in time when he was beginning to pass out from pain, but his captors wouldn't allow him to slip into a state of unconsciousness. Matt watched as a huge bruise blossomed on his chest. He felt a heavy pressure on his throat. Someone screamed and fighting ensued but was quickly stopped when Matt tried to sit up and looked around.

He was shoved back against the wooden table, which he lay flat on and he felt fingers cares over an open wound before going in to tease his insides. Matt wailed in agony as he felt one of his organs get poked. Then he felt something cool go over it, and then there was that searing hot feeling again. Matt's throat was raw and strained, his vocal cords bled from all of the abuse. He felt as though his skin was on fire. A hand slapped him across the face several times after his cries of anguish quieted down to small, pathetic whimpers. The redhead felt ready to die.

_Why didn't they just let me die?_ He wondered when they gave him a break for like five minutes. Matt tried not to scream or cry out, but it was pointless for him to try when his tormenters weren't being at all gentle.

The redhead groaned and started to cry out from pain. Once all the attention stopped he figured that whoever was hurting him was done, but no, they weren't done. He was flipped over onto his stomach and the torture continued, but he felt that it was worse than before. When everything finally stopped and he was rolled back onto his back Matt panted trembling.

_I-I can relax…it's over…it's finally over…thank God…. _He thought as he forced his muscles to relax themselves. His eyes then shot wide open when he felt something stab into his wrist and his pupils dilated. He knew he'd been drugged, but with what was what concerned him most. All at once his back arched and the pain receptors of his body all shut down. He went limp once more, bloody saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth and tears began to slide from his eyes once more. Matt could only see darkness around him now, but he knew that he was still awake. His body had a spasm before it convulsed several times and then fully relaxed itself.

He was still awake though.

And he felt like he was going to puke as his stomach done flipflops.

Matt then felt gentle hands as they stroked his hair. He, surprisingly, felt his body as it was lifted up in a gentle manner. Matt whimpered and shook a few times, but the person carrying him said nothing. When he was put down he felt something soft and feathery beneath him. He groaned turning his head towards the body he sensed was watching him.

"W-who…?"

"Don't talk. It'll be over soon."

"Wha…?"

"The pain. You won't feel it after a little while. You lost a lot of blood."

Matt felt himself pale. He tried to move a hand, but found it was too hard of a task. The redhead shuddered. Matt swallowed as he felt something being wrapped around his skin. It was surprisingly soft, yet firm. It hurt after a while, but he didn't vocalize it. He simply endured it. He felt as though he was about to die and from what he hear he was going to die. After all the pain it didn't surprise him. Matt took a deep breath. He let his body relaxed and he let his head loll to the side.

And his body went limp after he lost all consciousness.

Meanwhile, Mello and Near ducked into a cave that they found a while after running from the horrible scene. Mello couldn't get the image of Matt's body full of arrows and dead on the ground out of his mind.

He sobbed for his lost friend glad that it was only Near there. The boy wrapped his arms around Mello's waist and rested his head in the blonde's lap after a short while. It was nice to know that Near was trying to comfort him, but Mello still felt anger and a killer instinct boil within him. Near sensed it and kept himself as quiet as he could, not knowing what would happen if he made a sound around the blonde.

It wasn't fear that made Near do so. It was logic that told him that he would possibly die if he provoked the blonde. Mello stroked the younger boy's curls as he attempted to calm himself down. He knew that if he did anything to Near while he was angry he would regret it later. He always regretted it later. As he stroked the albino's soft, white hair he actually started to feel more composed. He felt the boy who had been tensed relax as he calmed. After a short while Near fell asleep and Mello stopped stroking his curls.

Near whimpered and mewled as he slept making the blonde feel rather guilty that they were in this mess. He stood up and decided that he'd go look around for some shortcut or something that could get them as far away from where they were as possible.

He got up and walked off a couple of miles before the sound of a gunshot made him pause and look around. He saw a man standing a few yards from him holding a shotgun. The man had scraggly gray hair and a stubby beard. The man wore camouflage and had dark, piercing eyes. Mello knew that running wasn't an option so he just stood as still as he possibly could. "Are you one of 'em?" the man shouted angrily.

"W-What?" the blonde croaked.

"You're not one of those cannibals are ya?"

"What the hell do you think?" the blonde spat venomously. "I can talk can't I?"

"Don't matter." The man said as he began to laugh crazily. His dark eyes grew wide and his mouth formed a huge crazy grin. "Some of these freaks learned themselves to talk. The police around these parts act dumb. They don't know what's going on. They _do_. They feed these freaks whenever they can and cover it all up by taping a section of these godforsaken woods up. More like a damn forest! Eating. That's all they do. Eat and eat and eat. Ate up all my buddies. I only gots three left. Two...now that another one…is filled by holes and arrows."

"You sound crazy!" the blonde snapped. "You _are_ crazy!"

There was a brief silence that was like a void in space.

"Run around these woods as long as I have and you'll go crazy too." He, all of a sudden, laughed. "No matter how many of these disgusting people I kill twelve more fill their place. On and on and on and on. Eat and eat, eat, eat, eat! That's all they do cause people taste better! Kill! That is another thing they do. Kill! Kill! Kill! I've seen lots of bloodshed going on. Lots of it! War. That's what is going on between these beasts they want to fight for land and food! Like animals! Rabid animals! Rabid! Rabid! Rabid! All of them are rabid!"

Mello felt his hand as it subconsciously and very slowly went to grab his gun. The man noticed this. A loud gunshot filled the air. Mello let out a cry of pain falling to the ground, clutching his shoulder. The man held a pistol in his free hand, whilst the other held the shotgun. Mello gritted his teeth to stifle his cries. "Well boy you might make great bait, so I won't kill you just yet." The crazy man said with a nasty smirk.

He fired again with the pistol shooting Mello in his leg. The cries that were made this time couldn't be stifled. And they were loud enough that they reached the ears of Near who had came awake the first time he heard gunfire. His eyes were wide in alarm.

"Mello?" he called looking out of the cave's mouth timidly.

The bright light of day made him withdraw. It stung his eyes, which were still heavy with sleep, but he knew better than staying where he was for long. Gathering up all of his courage he stepped out and headed in the direction he'd heard the gunfire and cries of pain. "Mello?" he called softly as he stopped moving. Something didn't feel right. He looked about, but saw nothing out of the ordinary, so he continued. He then saw Mello who laid bleeding and whimpering in pain.

Mello looked up to see who was there to his horror it was Near. He wanted to tell the younger boy to run or to get out of there, but he knew it'd just result in both of their deaths if he did so, besides those gunshot wounds hurt like a bitch! The small boy padded closer. Mello opened his mouth but could only let a gasp of pain out. Near bent over beside him to examine the blonde's wounds making the blonde boy feel uneasy as Near mentally noted that one was in his shoulder another was in his thigh.

He looked about for someone who could be held responsible, but saw no one. Assuming that everything was okay Near began to lick at the blonde's leg wound. Mello groaned making him hesitate, but he continued when there was no protest. It hurt like hell for the chocoholic. He shoved Near away confusing the boy. "D-don't do that." He said through clenched teeth. Near nodded and sat beside him purposefully.

Leaves crunched, but before Near could turn his head several bullets lodged themselves in his small body. Mello's eyes widened and he gaped at the small boy as his body fell to the ground motionless. He let out a loud cry of anger, terror and pain. The small bundle of white was stained red and the blonde knew he wasn't going to get back up. Not after the wounds he'd received.

Mello watched as the man came out from his hiding place in some dense undergrowth. He laughed crazily as he stood over the pale boy's body. Grabbing white locks of hair he lifted the motionless boy's head up. His eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly open. The look on his face was both tranquil and adorable.

Even Mello thought so despite his usual outlook on things.

Mello felt rage surge through him. If he hadn't had his gun taken away he was sure that he'd have put bullet after bullet in this creep's skull. He watched as the man kicked the small body carelessly. It only fueled the blonde's anger. The man then turned to the blonde with a sick smile. He bent down and began to press down on Mello's bullet wounds. Mello cried out louder and louder as pressure was added.

The torture unexpectedly stopped shortly after blood spattered his face. He opened his eyes to see a blood-covered Near pounding a rock onto the crazy man's body. His head was already bashed in and Mello could see his neck was broken from the strange angle his neck hung. Mello watched in horror as the boy suddenly stopped to turn his attention to the blonde. He dropped the rock and drug the body off.

Mello didn't see Near for the next two hours. When he finally came back he was bloody, panting wearily and limping. Mello saw that he had three guns in his arms.

"N-Near give tho-those t-to m-me." He said shakily. Near obeyed falling flat beside him. Mello was quick to check the ammunition ignoring the pain in his arm. The pistol was empty, the shotgun had only a few rounds left and his gun was almost empty. He groaned as he looked over to Near whose angelic face was stained red and had leaves stuck to it. He moved over to the boy and wiped away the blood. It wasn't much of an improvement since he just smeared it, but he figured it was better than what it had been before.

A dark, shadowy figure stepped out from the shadows. Mello glared up at the man quickly aiming his gun at the new arrival and pulling Near's unconscious form into a protective embrace with his wounded arm regardless of how much it shook. He glared at the unwanted newcomer not trusting him at all.

Especially since he was wearing camouflage.

And Mello noticed that he carried a large colt revolver, which he quickly drew and aimed at the blonde. Mello glared coldly at the man feeling as though he had nothing else to lose. Matt was dead. Near was dying, probably going to be dead in a couple of seconds from blood loss and he was officially screwed, seeing as how he was low on ammunition and, probably about to get shot dead. Keeping a shaky grip on Near's body he slowly drew in a lungful of air and prepared to shoot.

Loud gunfire and the spattering of blood made the whole world go dark.


	11. Chapter 11

"You're lucky I came along when I did." The man known as Aiber laughed. He seemed nice enough, but Mello didn't trust him. He seemed to be the kind of guy who made you wanna keep your eyes glued to him. "You're friend and you are both lucky. I thought you two were cannibals, but then when you, ya know, shot me I figured differently. None of the cannibal freaks around here use a gun as a weapon. Arrows, rocks, slingshots, spears, pikes, clubs and maybe, sometimes, a length of chain, but never have I seen one of them use a gun."

"Yeah, well, what's your story?" Mello asked as he stared at the burning fire. Near stirred slightly beside him. Mello pulled him further onto his lap and let his wounded arm rest lightly on his small body. "What happened to you?" he asked looking to Aiber with narrowed blue eyes that were lit up by the dim orange glow of the fire.

Aiber shrugged. "You tell me what happened to you first."

"Ignored the ribbons or whatever. Got lost. Found mutilated corpses. Met Near, here, let him tag along with my friend Matt and me. Stuff happened and my buddy Matt got skewered. Not much to tell."

"Yeah I hear ya." Aiber nodded. "My friends were killed too, but ya wanna know something?"

Mello didn't respond. He concentrated on Near's tranquil face and soft breathing.

"Do you?" Aiber asked again. "Do you wanna know something I know?"

"Why not? Tell me."

"Those ribbons, you know the ones, they were taken down by some of these cannibals. I think it's so we'd get lost purposely and they'd be free to eat us up. But you and me, we're survivors and won't be so easy to eat, ya know? The crazed rabid ones took those ribbons down and started to get rid of them or wear them. That way prey comes to them more often. And those corpses, those that you found, they were leftovers. I found the pile once as well and just about puked my guts out."

Mello chuckled. It was bitter laughter as he recalled how Matt had puked. He felt Near shift slightly and looked down at the small boy. He'd been bandaged and had all of the bullets removed from his body. As Aiber had said he was lucky that they didn't puncture any of his organs. He was indeed lucky.

_No_, Mello thought with a small smirk, _he's just a survivor. He's tougher than he looks._

"So are you and he…homos…dating?"

Mello blushed a bright red. "No!" he spat. "No! No! No! I do _not_ love him! He's a little annoying snot! He's just a little burden and that's it! I only put up with him because I need company or I would suffer the loss of my mind!" he snapped. He didn't trust Aiber one bit. Mello was afraid to tell him what he and Near's relationship really was. He didn't dare say that Near was one of the most precious people in his life or that without the small boy he'd be one of the most lonely people in the entire world, no, the entire universe.

Aiber who had been smirking snidely, but he suddenly stopped smirking and just shrugged. Aiber yawned and laid back against the stone floor of the cave, which Mello and Near had shown him to after he decided to help them. Mello felt safer there then he did anywhere else so he laid back and also fell asleep. It didn't take long since he was so tired.

Near, however, had been awake, feigning sleep ever since he'd been patched up, because he didn't trust Aiber either. He sat up as soon as Mello was sound asleep and he felt heartbroken. Mello didn't really care about him. Mello was just using him and that was it. He got up and decided to relieve Mello of his 'burden'.

He padded off into the night.

As Near ran blindly through the woods he was unaware that he was being watched. Red eyes watched as he ran through the darkness. Beyond smirked as he began to follow his prey. He knew that the boy would have to stop sooner or later and the timing was perfect since it was dark out and there were no witnesses that he'd have to kill. Beyond licked his lips as he watched Near stumble then fall to the ground. The boy cried out in pain as his wounds made contact with small rocks and twigs. His wounds were very sore to the touch.

He lay there helplessly for several minutes.

When he tried to get up he was forced back down when a foot slammed down into the center of his back. He cried out loudly. B was amused. He stomped down on the younger male's torso repeatedly enjoying the cried which ripped from Near's mouth. Beyond soon grew bored with doing this. It wasn't as entertaining as what else he had in mind.

Landing a hard kick to Near's throat he winded the boy, as he struggled for breath BB wrapped his hands around Near's throat and squeezed as hard as he could. There was a very brief struggle, and then Near was unconscious. He lifted the small bundle of white up and carried him off to a secluded area where he was sure nobody would find them. Everything in that area was so quiet and still that it even gave Beyond chills.

Dead trees lay about and a few dead shrubs lay about. He knew where there was a cave in the ground big enough for several people to fit in. It was hidden by dead logs, which were placed carefully in front of it. He removed them and then replaced them, being careful as not to make his whereabouts noticeable. Once he was in the dead end of the cave he stopped and waited for his victim to awaken.

As soon as he did, then Beyond planned on letting the fun start.

Elsewhere, Mello stirred realizing that Near wasn't there. He sat upright and was stunned to find the boy had completely vanished. He was worried. Near was his responsibility and he didn't think that he'd be able to forgive himself if anything happened to him. Worried the blonde left the sleeping Aiber to go find Near.

_Please, please, don't be dead._ He silently pled to God. _Please protect him._

Back in the cave Near had awoken terrified to find his wrists and ankles were bound by some strong vines. His dark innocent eyes filled with fear when they landed on Beyond Birthday who was bloody and smirking evilly at him. Near shuddered sure that he was about to die. Beyond was cruel, and he knew it, and he didn't have a problem with killing innocents, and he especially had no problems with killing children, so he was surely about to die. Near whimpered as he struggled against his bonds.

B laughed.

It was inhuman laughter.

Yes, this was going to be fun indeed. Near struggled and whimpered, squirming despite the fact he knew he wasn't going to get away. It was just a natural human response to being tied up and faced with a crazed psycho like Beyond Birthday. Near didn't have time to scream when the man jumped on top of him and unbuttoned his shirt. It was unexpected. He gasped when he felt someone bite deep into his throat. Blood seeped up but it was only a small amount, thankfully, not enough to mean he was going to die. B snickered as he licked all of the blood up. The younger male gasped when he felt a cold hand press down on one of his wounds. It was a very uncomfortable and painful feeling.

After pressing down on the wounds one by one B grabbed a handful of dirt and rubbed it into the pale boy's wounds, which weren't bandaged and still terribly sore. Near wailed loudly as the dirt and pebbles stung his wounds and made them reopen. Blood oozed out as he continued to squirm beneath the stronger male.

Near screamed as something sank into his back. It was sharp and cut through his flesh like it were paper. He wailed loudly as he felt B pull away from him. Breathing through his mouth he felt B stroke the wound and then stick his fingers into it. Beyond gawked with a wicked smile as he felt the small boy's spine. He didn't damage it because he found the small mewls of agony Near made to be more entertaining. B laughed his inhuman laugh and touched the boy's spine again. Near's face contorted with pain as he mewled weakly whilst B grabbed a small stick and poked it inside the small boy's wound. He moved it about making Near wail out in pain.

He cackled as Near's fingers clawed into the dirt and rock.

The boy closed his eyes as tight as he could. He screeched when he felt B claw at his sides and then yank his head back. The red-eyed cannibal laughed seeing how distressed the weakened, wounded boy was. Beyond then looked over at some tools that had been discarded. He found a small, filthy first aid kit. It had all the things he needed to continue this torture. Beyond pulled a needle out and threaded it. Near watched panting heavily.

"N-no…p-please…." he whimpered hoping it would delay what BB had in mind, but it didn't. Beyond started to sew the small boy up enjoying all the noises Near made. Tears wetted the cave floor as Near sobbed and cried from the immense pain.

The red-eyed raven grinned once he finished his amateur surgical procedure, which was better than he thought it'd be. Near's back was completely, neatly stitched. And he thought it was going to be a hard task. He giggled quietly to himself. After regaining his composure Beyond flipped the boy over. Beyond caressed the boy's torso as he studied Near's stomach getting a really sick idea.

He chuckled cruelly as he pulled a small, sharp looking knife from the kit. He licked his lips as he began to cut into the small boy's soft belly. B ignored the blood when it spurted out onto him and drizzled onto the cave floor. He ignored Near as he attempted to shove him away and as he struggled weakly, but gave up once Beyond started to cut around his belly button.

The pain was horrible.

He gasped as he looked at his stomach. It was being brutally cut open, bits of flesh were lying off to the side and blood gushed out forming a puddle on the floor. Beyond chuckled callously watching as Near paled worse than what he already was. Before he left the small boy BB sewed his lips shut, stabbed him several times, teased his bullet wounds some, bit him so much that his limbs were covered by bleeding bite marks, and molested the poor albino who was close to death.

When he was finished he left poor Near to die.

However, what he didn't know was that someone was watching him as he left. Someone who wore bandages around their face only letting their eyes be uncovered and had a filthy white t-shirt with ripped up jeans and messy black hair. He glared at the young man as he left laughing in a sickly sweet way.

He had a bad feeling about that.

Hurrying down the tree he hid in he went into the cave. The first thing he smelt was blood and the scent of death. He was truly shocked when he found Near's mutilated body. He was just barely breathing and messily stitched up. "Damn him." He mumbled as he gently picked the boy up and left the cavern.

"You're in safe hands now." He whispered to the comatose albino. "You're safe." He promised. Near groaned as they neared a trio of which all three people were at the age of twelve. "What happened to him? L?" a girl asked shaking with fear. "Why is he so hurt?"

"BB." L said enigmatically, forebodingly.

It was L had to say.

The three children shuddered as they brought out their bows and arrows guarding the raven as he carried Near. Unknown to them Mello saw them and saw the wounded Near and felt panic tighten his chest.

_What am I to do?_ He wondered despairingly. Ultimately he decided to follow. He had no weapons but maybe, if he was lucky, he could follow them to their hideout and try to save Near, or he could finish the poor thing off and die of his own accord. It sounded better than anything else that crossed his distressed mind at the moment.

_Is Near's life worth risking _my _life?_ He wondered as he begun to follow feeling dread wash over him.


	12. Chapter 12

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**~Luv, Fairylust~**

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"Don't worry. You're safe now." He said softly. He placed a kiss to the boy's bloody forehead. Near looked up at the familiar face, but couldn't place who it was immediately, but the voice was without a shred of doubt familiar. The master of the voice was ordering kids to give him tools of some sort. There was pain, but Near knew it was just because they were patching him up. It didn't stop him from feeling an intense ache though.

He just felt like he had to sit up. Near groaned trying to move, but was stopped. Near didn't resist and let the people above him repair his broken, beat-up body, which had undergone horrible mistreatment. He felt skin being cut and sewn and burnt closed. He felt herbs and salt being rubbed into open wounds. Near watched that specific face that reminded him of BB, but was not BB. He knew that BB didn't have dark gray, almost black eyes, but he did have blood red eyes that seemed to convey hate in their depts. As soon as everyone left Near felt his ragged breaths grow heavier.

Near felt tears run down his face.

A cold, wet rag was rubbed over his face. Near looked at the young man who washed his face off. His kind, almost black eyes never once left Near's dark orbs, which were tired and fighting the urge to slip shut. Near let out a small groan of pain. He struggled to sit up. He hurt all over. The pain was just so intense that Near felt like he was going to die or something close to it. He struggled to sit up, only to fall back down. Near struggled again falling to the floor. Looking up to the elder male his arm rose up and his fingers stretched out towards him. Near watched as the young man gave him a look of sympathy. Near was in agony and wanted help. He didn't know why, but Near honestly expected the familiar looking man to get up and walk away, to leave him in pain.

He blamed the mistreatment he'd received over the years.

Understanding the elder lifted him up bridal style and carried him to a room, which was dimly lit by candles. Near whimpered feeling lips place a kiss to his left temple. He watched as the elder, whom he suddenly remembered was his brother and known as, L left. He heard soft breathing nearby. Looking beside his bed he saw a sleeping Matt who was bandaged up and had a wet cloth lying across his forehead.

"…Matt…."

There was no response.

"…Matt…." he rasped once more. "…Matt…."

Still there was no response. Near let out a choked sob this time, as fear washed over him. He was worried that the redhead was dead, despite the fact he disliked him he knew that Matt was important to Mello and if Mello weren't happy, then Near felt that he couldn't be happy, either. He was quick to let himself be taken away by a river of dreams when sleep proved too much for him fight off any longer.

It was pleasant dreams that overtook him, luckily.

When he opened his eyes he was surprised to feel someone was next to him, looking he was surprised to see Mello, who was bandaged, battered, bruised and unconscious. Matt was also unconscious. Near licked his lips as he moved the blonde so that he was lying on Mello's chest. Not long after he got into that position arms wrapped around his frail body protectively. Mello seemed to be semi-conscious and then drifted into unconsciousness.

"…Mello…Mello…Mello…Mello…."

The blonde was awoken by the strange chant. He looked to see Near was softly murmuring his name as he slept, but it sounded more like he was saying 'Merro' instead of 'Mello'. He looked over to see Matt, who looked to him and Near sleepily, looking quite jealous. "H-hi, Mels." The redhead mumbled wearily.

He chuckled. "Hi-i, Matt."

That was pretty much all that was said between them. They were too tired to speak much, yet too restless to sleep properly. They lay there for a long while just looking at each other and mouthing brief sentences and replies to each other. They felt trapped and didn't know if they were going to survive or not. It was quite a frightening situation. The main question, which taunted the two teens was one that had taunted them since the first time they encountered horror and cannibals in those damned woods: _What will happen next and will we survive to see tomorrow?_

One time Near awoke, but didn't really do or say anything. He just lay quietly letting Mello run his fingers through his hair. At different times of the day different people came in to do something or another to one of them, normally it was to give medication, food, or water. The thought that the food might be poisoned never really occured to any of them, well, not until Matt got really sick and began to throw blood up. He later caught chills, an intense fever, he started to breathe shallowly and he began to speak in gibberish.

After a few days of this he was taken from the room for a total of three weeks, strangely enough Mello swore he heard screaming someplace far off. Each day the blonde wondered if he were dead, but quickly turned his attention to something else. Something positive that would make the situation that he was currently in seem not so bad. Then one day Matt was brought back in and he seemed to be healthy and stronger than before.

One evening Near was taken from the room and wasn't brought back. Later that very same week when Mello and Matt were speaking in whispers about what could have happened to their albino companion they were shocked and inturrupted by the door to the room swinging open. A tall, lean young man walked in followed by Near, who was much to their surprise, looking healthy and happy. When the young man took a strange seating position in a chair, which was across the room both Mello and Matt watched as Near took his odd sitting position beside the young man who gave him an affectionate pat on the head. The boy gave a contented sigh as the patting turned to affectionate petting. Mello couldn't help but to feel a bit jealous.

Okay, _a lot _jealous.

"Who're you?" Matt asked before Mello could say anything. "Why did you bring us here?"

"My name is L." the young man said with a smile. "I brought you here so that you wouldn't die. And I suppose that I apologize for letting you get shot full of arrows. It was a mistake."

"Yeah, well, I'm surprised you didn't kill me."

"That wasn't my aim." L replied. He turned his attention to Near who was leaning against him slightly. "I thought that you were trying to harm Near. So, naturally, I shot first, before asking questions. Sorry." He didn't sound sincere or like he really cared, but that was okay, because neither Mello nor Matt cared about his apology, whcih had came way too late. "I am just glad that your injuries have healed so well."

"We could've died." Mello deadpanned. "Do you even care?"

"Of course." L said smiling hollowly. "You've helped me, so I must help you."

"How in hell did we help you?" the blonde asked not remembering doing anything for the panda-eyed man. "All we've been doing is killing and trying to survive out here in…in…um…"

"Cannibal Land." Matt chuckled without much humor. "We've been surviving Cannibal Land and that's all."

"You've protected Near and for that I thank you." L said softly running his finger through the younger boy's hair. Near purred like a cat, which didn't help Mello's jealousy die down any, as he knew that meant Near enjoyed the touch. "You see, Near is very precious to me, because he is my baby brother and perhaps the last living family I have. If anything happened to him I do not know what I would do."

"He's precious to us too." Mello said with narrowed blue eyes that hid his envious feelings very well. "He's our friend. Maybe, just maybe, Near means a bit, if not, a lot more to…some of us…." he mumbled the last part, but everyone heard it all the same.

L smiled. "I am glad to hear that. Near deserves someone who can love and care for him properly."

"Yes. Yes, he does" Matt agreed, much to the surprise of everyone. "What? Can't I be nice to the twerp?"

Ignoring him L turned his attention back to Mello. "Look, helping you, if I must be honest, isn't the only reason I brought you here."

"What other reason did you have?" he asked.

"Kill BB." Near said darkly, quietly.

It surprised both Mello and Matt who hadn't herd him speak all too much since they met. L nodded in agreement. "Near summed it up very well. I was just wondering if you two are willing to help me out with that little endevor."

"Why?"

"Because people have been dying and Aizawa has only been able to cover things up. I want to stop the killing. Me and some others. So, will you two help me? Near has already agreed. I just need you both to agree and then I will tell you my plan."

"Yes." Matt said.

"Yes." Mello said. L smirked pleased that they agreed. "Soon you'll all be able to move." L had said. "And when that happens," he paused to look at each of the three faces, "we'll make our move and stop the others once and for all."

All three boys exchanged solemn smiles.

* * *

**Yea, this was an incredibaly short chappie, but it could have been shorter.**

**Misa: Look on the bright side of things and you'll be filled by sparkly juice and rainbows!**

**Me: Well said. Well said, my friend.**

**Lol.**

**Sorry, about that, but, hey, at least I updated. Hope this was good.**

**R&R pretty pwease!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Descriptions: You already know what Beyond, L, and Near look like so onto the Ocs! Lawliet and Nate's parents: Mother looks a lot like Nate aka Near with curly white hair and pale, pale skin and is short. Father looks sorta like L with short black hair and pale skin and is tall, but slouches some.**

**That should be about it!**

**Oh, yeah, and this chappie is how L and Near came to the forest and got into the mess they are in now. Sorry I didn't post it sooner! yeah, as some should already know, my computer is still kinda screwed up and is kinda slow and the italics are working better, but still not good enough. Sorry.**

**Happy Valentine's Day!**

**:^D**

**Disclaimer: By the way I do not own Death Note!**

**Warnings: Flashback-ish chappie, don't like 'em don't read this and violence, blood, gore, language, idiocy, and so on. ;^P**

**~Love Fairylust~**

* * *

"Why do we have to come here? It's so boring!" Lawliet whined.

He knew the reason why, but he didn't like it. Summer break. The time when he was forced to actually acknowledge his family's existence. The time when he was banned from his laptop, sweets, mystery novels, and all the other activities he enjoyed, and for what? Just to spend time with his parents and his baby brother. He usually buried himself in some schoolwork or some activity to ignore them, but when summer break came he was forced to be with them. It wasn't that he hated them or anything like that, but he had barely any social skills. He felt that they didn't understand him the way they should have.

His parents were normally too busy gushing to their few friends about his brother and his little brother was…well…he was the center of their world. It did make him jealous when they did that, Lawliet wasn't ashamed to admit that. It was normal sibling jealousy.

And his brother, Nate, didn't seem to care much for him. Lawliet didn't know why, but Nate didn't seem to want to get too close to him. Lawliet tried to avoid the boy, because for one thing Nate was like twelve years younger than him and didn't understand things like Lawliet did and for reason two he would start acting odd at some of the worst times.

Sometimes he'd shift his eyes back and forth or he'd get jittery or he'd just sputter gibberish. His parents had taken the boy to therapy and the doctor had said that it was normal. She, the doctor, had said that apparently Nate admired his elder brother and got tongue-tied around him. She also said that he seemed to have some disorder that made him act like he did when Lawliet wasn't around. The elder boy didn't think he had a disorder though. Once when he watched Nate get tense and jumpy he found out that the younger boy had somehow managed to sense that their parents were about to have a fight.

Lawliet told this to the doctor, but she said that it was normal for young children to be that way and dismissed the teen acting as though she were the smartest person in the whole world. Lawliet wanted to snap at her, maybe bring her ego down a bit, but instead he held his tongue and silently wondered how _that_ was normal.

Anyway, here they were at some cabin his parents drug him and Nate every year or so to spend time together. The last time he was here Nate was two and Lawliet was fourteen. The cabin was made of wood and really old. The teen felt that they were lucky to have electricity there, let alone a few useful appliances. The cabin was facing some woods, which Lawliet guessed ended up leading into a forest, because of how dark things looked beyond the trees.

"Seriously," he continued complaining, "it'd be easier to stay home than come here and _die_ of boredom!"

His mother gave him a sharp disproving look. Her dark gray eyes demanding that he be quiet. He didn't blame her. Whenever he whined his little brother had to start acting frightened and neither of his parents liked that. In fact, Lawliet wasn't too sure how he felt about his younger brother's abnormal behavior. "Lawliet why don't you play a game with Nate?" she said looking over to the small four year old. "You know he likes games and they distract him from…you know…himself." She added more quietly seeming worried when she saw that Nate had wandered off close to the edge of the woods.

"Please go get him, before he gets lost." She said before she turned and headed for the cabin. She paused in the doorway. "Be kind to him, Lawliet!" she called back sternly, and then disappeared inside.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." He mumbled heading over to his younger brother, who was standing close to some sort of pine tree that was practically bleeding sap, shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot the boy turned to look at his elder brother. Lawliet chuckled never seeing the boy so anxious before it just seemed so comical that he would act so uneasy now when nothing was wrong.

"What's wrong?" he asked noticing that the boy kept shifting his gaze from side to side.

"Scary place." He whined. Despite the fact he had high marks in school and was able to read the same books as a high-school student Nate was a small child and his vocabulary was still developing. For some reason he wasn't good with words and was still learning how to speak, despite the fact that everyone else in his pre-kindergarten class could speak fine. "Scary place." He repeated trembling in fear. This puzzled his brother, but Lawliet decided to calm him knowing that it must be hard for him to adjust to new surroundings.

"No, we've been here before, remember?" he said soothingly. "It was two years ago, but we came here for summer break all the same. Its not scary, just boring."

"Scary. Scary. Scary." He said wrapping his arms around the teen's legs. Lawliet didn't know what to do. He'd never seen Nate this way. "Scary. Scary. Scary." The boy kept chanting in a small, terrified voice, pulling away from the boy the teen scowled looking around. Remembering that he was supposed to be nice to the boy he smiled a bit.

"You don't have to be scared." He said gently, but the small child shook his head and shoved one of his tiny fists in his mouth to suck on. Lawliet sighed. "Why don't you just pretend that this place isn't scary? Isn't that what normal children do?"

He then burst into tears obviously terrified. "What is wrong now?" Lawliet asked becoming impatient. "Why are you crying?"

"Death!" the little boy sobbed. "Die. Die. Die. Die."

"Nate what are you talking about?"

"It's everywhere!" he wailed. "Death is everywhere!"

Shaking his head in annoyance and disbelief Lawliet turned to leave him alone with his imaginings. Small hands gripping the back of his jeans made him turn to face Nate, who's large, gray eyes glistened with tears. "Where are you going?" he asked in a tiny voice. "Where? Where, Lawliet?"

"I'm going inside. You can stay out here and pretend to die if you like, but I'm going inside instead of acting like a panicked chicken for no reason."

The small boy stumbled backwards as his brother turned and walked away. He fell backwards, and then unknown to his brother who was already inside, he saw a flash of movement across the clearing. He shuddered and shivered as every known instinct in him told him that danger was nearing at a rather fast rate. Afraid he ran for the house.

"What's wrong?" his mother asked as he slammed and locked the door shut. "You look afraid. Is something out there?"

"Monsters."

"Monsters?" his father questioned as he entered the room. "What's all this talk about monsters?"

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing." Mother said patting the small boy's head. "I think that he just saw an animal he wasn't familiar with and got frightened. You know like the time he saw that deer? I think that's all that this little episode of his is."

"Oh, well okay." He said running a hand through his short, inky black hair. "Do you know where Lawliet went off to?"

"No." she sighed shaking her head letting her white curls sway. "He doesn't like being here as usual. I just hope he doesn't start filling Nate's head with stories."

"I don't think he would. He's more mature than that."

"You obviously don't know him like I do."

"Night." Nate suddenly said padding off to join Lawliet in their shared room. His brother lay on the bed, the only bed, in the room writing in some sort of book. He gave Lawliet a questioning look and as though he could read minds he signaled for the boy to come over to the bed. He did and saw the title on the book. It was a book full of crossword puzzles. Smiling a bit he got up on the bed and sat beside the elder boy. For the next few hours he watched as the teen solved over at least fifty or so pages worth of puzzles with ease.

"You'd think they'd at least try to make these hard, huh?"

Nate nodded blinking sleepily.

"Hmm, I think you've stayed up too long. What do you think?"

The boy didn't reply he simply curled up in a small white ball and fell asleep.

"Rude." Lawliet huffed continuing with his puzzles. "Rude, rude, rude. That's all you are. You may not be able to speak a lot, but you could at least try to reply." He grumbled flipping a page. Without prior notice the smaller boy grabbed the teen's shirtsleeve in his sleep. Uncomfortable and annoyed Lawliet jerked his arm away from Nate's reach. The small boy opened his eyes and blinked in confusion.

"Keep your hands to yourself." He said clearly annoyed.

The younger boy's big gray eyes filled with anguish and Nate gave him a hurt look, but obeyed his big brother and rolled over to face the wall, so that eh couldn't touch Lawliet by accident in his sleep. Lawliet continued with his crossword puzzles not feeling the least bit guilty. What did he have to feel guilty about, after all? Nate was only four. When he thought about it he reasoned that four year olds were known to be very versatile and known to get over things quickly. The only thing that really annoyed Lawliet from that point was when Nate whimpered and twitched in his sleep. After a while he put his book down, because he'd finally completed it. He inhaled deeply as he laid down flat on his back. It didn't take but an hour before he fell asleep.

Around that time Nate woke up and gasped upon seeing a shadowy figure looking into the room through the window. The figure was shrouded by night and outlined by moonlight, but blazing red eyes were staring directly at the small child.

Trembling in fear he grabbed his brother's shirtsleeve. Those frightening red eyes seemed to stay glued to him like he were the most important thing in the room. It was like he couldn't breathe as long as those red eyes were stuck on him. He then wrapped his arms around his brother's waist and buried his face into Lawliet's white shirt. Whimpering he couldn't contain his tears as the figure outside the window started to tap on the glass hesitating between each tap, which just made it seem all the more creepy.

Sobbing he yelped when a hand grabbed the back of his neck. Looking at his elder brother he saw that he was scowling. "What is your problem?" he asked stifling a yawn. Nate looked at the window and saw that the scary figure was gone. Trembling he pointed to the window. Lawliet looked and scowled.

"There isn't anything there. Go back to sleep. Lord knows I won't be able to now."

Sobbing softly the small boy shook his head. "Scared. I'm scared." He said looking to his brother with teary eyes. Sighing in frustration the teen got up and left the room unaware that the door jammed when he shut it. Nate saw the figure reappear in the window and the red eyes were staring at him again. Screaming in fear he jumped from the bed and attempted to follow his brother, but couldn't seeing as the door was jammed. He looked and stared in horror as the window lifted up, due to the fact it was unlocked, and the figure began to come into the room. He screamed as loudly as he could hoping that someone would hear and save him. Suddenly the figure retreated making sure to close the window. Nate sobbed as the door was yanked open and he ran into his father.

"What's with all the noise?" he yawned looking into the room wearily.

He scowled seeing that Lawliet was gone. "Where is your brother?" he questioned. When Nate shook his head and continued to sob the man sighed. "Don't worry I'm sure he'll be back." He comforted. "How about you stay with me until he comes back?" Nodding Nate began to follow the elder man, but then turned and ran to lock the window. Once it was locked he followed his father into the kitchen and sat down at the table across from him.

Elsewhere, Lawliet walked through the moonlit woods peeved with his younger brother for waking him up. Seriously, he didn't sleep easy due to some sleeping disorder and when he was finally relaxing enough to sleep Nate had to wake him up for no reason whatsoever. What was up with that? He asked himself knowing it wasn't like the boy to wake him for no reason. _Did he just do that to be annoying or just because he was scared of something? Surely there was a good reason._ He told himself.

Still he couldn't help being a bit upset with the younger adolescent. _Why does he always have to be like that?_ Lawliet wondered in annoyance.

Groaning in frustration he stared up at the half moon wondering if all little brothers were like Nate. Deciding that all little brothers weren't all like Nate, he turned to go back to the cabin before his parents woke up and got angry with him, but was stopped by the feeling of a sharp pain in the back of his head. Warm, sticky liquid seemed to flow down his back afterwards. He didn't recall much after that but the next morning he woke up inside a small cave covered in moss and wet leaves.

"Where am I?" he groaned.

Turning his head he was surprised to meet the gaze of a pair of red eyes.

His gray eyes landed on a face that appeared exactly like his own. The only difference was the ruby red eyes, which stared at him filled by inquisitiveness and affection. Sitting up Lawliet felt the wound on his head and groaned pained. "Who are you?" he asked noting to himself that the boy who looked almost exactly like him was a bit younger. When no reply came he asked again, but there was no reply as before.

"Can you talk?" he asked suddenly wondering if this boy knew how to speak.

"S-speak?"

"I'll take that as a no." he said grinning out of amusement. "Do you understand me?"

There was a nod from his look-a-like.

"Can you tell me why I am here or why my head hurts?" he asked wincing a bit. His look-a-like shook his head smirking impishly as he did so, but Lawliet didn't think anything of this. "Can you show me how to get back home?"

Nod.

"Good. Could you show me soon?" he asked hoping to get home before he got into trouble with his parents for leaving his brother alone all night.

There was a treacherous looking sparkle in those red eyes as the look-a-like shook his head. "Why not?" Lawliet questioned frowning. He saw no reason for this boy to want to keep him stranded in the woods. How would that help him? Lawliet was sure that there was no way he would be of use to this odd boy who was covered in what he observed as dirt, some dry blood, dried mud, bits of leaves, and animal fur.

"Want to make a deal, then?" he asked. "A trade, perhaps?"

Nod.

"What kind of deal?"

Shrug.

"Of course you don't know. You can't speak. Wait…."

The unknown look-a-like rolled his ruby eyes, but held his smirk.

"Okay." He paused as though taking his time to think. "Would you like to know how to speak?" Lawliet asked after a moment or so.

The boy gave him another nod.

"Fine." The teen said with half-lidded eyes that seemed to be blank with boredom. "I'll teach you how to speak, but you have to show me how to get back home. And once you can talk some I want to know who you are, why you are out here, and what you want, exactly."

Smiling the red-eyed oddball nodded his agreement, intrigued with this teen, who seemed so calm and languid around a stranger who looked like him and was possibly dangerous. The red-eyed boy immediantly felt admiration for Lawliet. His duplicate extended his hand and Lawliet took it in his noting that the oddball's hand appeared to be scratched up badly as though someone had clawed him repeatedly. It made Lawliet wondered what this boy was up to and where he had been. They both shook hands on it to seal the deal.

Unknowingly Lawliet had _practically_ made a deal with the devil.

* * *

**How was it? Good? Not good? Bad? Not bad?**

**Pwease let me know!**

**x^D**

**Hope ya'll enjoyed it! I managed to get it here before I go to bed. And it's 10:19 p.m. So I hope you all liked that cause I'm worn out! ****Well, I promise to update as soon as I can!**

**~Fairylust~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Second part to the first part of the flashback-ish chappie.**

**Dunno how many of these there will be but I don't plan on there to be a lot cause I really wanna finish the main plot of the story, but I guess holding out for a while will benefit me seeing as I have time now to think of an epically awesome ending.**

**One question though: Should the ending be Sad or Happy?**

**I still haven't figured that out.**

**Sorry about that, but I'm trying me very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, (you get the point) very best to figure that out, so please be patient with me.**

**That's all I ask. That and to not kill me for using so many verys.**

**Lol. ;^P**

**Disclaimer: By the way I do not own Death Note!**

**Warnings: Flashback-ish chappie, don't like 'em don't read this and violence, blood, gore, language, idiocy, and so on.**

**~Love Fairylust~**

* * *

As soon as he was back home Lawliet was in a world of trouble. His parents cornered him first thing and forced to take a seat in the kitchen. His brother was dismissed from the so-called 'intervention'. Lawliet watched crossly as the small boy padded from the room holding the book of completed crossword puzzles. _What does he need that for?_ Lawliet wondered but forced himself to concentrated on other things like how angry his parents were that he had left his baby brother alone at night.

"How could you have left your brother alone?" his mother questioned obviously upset that he had left his brother by himself, but he could tell that she wasn't just upset about that. She was upset that he had ran off into the woods in the middle of the night. "How could you be so rash, Lawliet?" she demanded. "Do you know how dangerous it can be in the woods at night? Did you pay attention when we talked to you about there being some killings around here?"

"Then why did we even come here?"

"They were accidents." His father replied simply. He watched as the white-haired woman gave him a sharp glare. "That's beside the point!" she shouted seeming frustrated. "You shouldn't have ran off in the middle of the night, you shouldn't have left your brother alone, and you shouldn't have been so late coming back home, I was worried sick about you!"

"Nate was terrified that something bad had happened to you, as well." His father added calmly. "He kept muttered things in gibberish and saying that you were in danger. Don't know what's gotten into him lately, but he isn't acting as calm as he normally does."

"Maybe it's this place." Lawliet said hoping to change the subject. "He was ranting about death yesterday afternoon not long after we arrived."

"Don't try to stray from the subject." His mother said sharply. "I know what you're trying to do, Lawliet. You do it all the time when you're in trouble. It's either this or reverse-psychology. And don't even think of that."

His father looked as though he was about to add something, but one look from the petite woman changed his mind and he ambled off into the other room. _He meant well._ Lawliet thought feeling a bit sympathetic for his father. His mother's gray eyes were on him fatigued now. "Just tell me what's bothering you, so we can get back to our lives." She said rubbing her temples.

"I don't like it here." He said with a blank tone and bored expression. "And to be honest I don't particularly feel comfortable being around Nate so much." He confessed after a moment of hesitation. "I don't think he likes me. I believe he-"

"Of course he likes you!" she snapped. "You're his older brother he practically worships you. Silently and from a distance, but that doesn't change that you're the most important person to him in the whole world. Trust me. He looks up to you with admiration."

"Seems more like he's determined to be annoying." He grumbled. "He seems to be more of a nuisance than he is a brother."

"You're just short on patience."

Lawliet rolled his eyes groaning.

"I understand, you're a teenager. You are short on patience when it comes to small children, but as you mature, lord willing you will, you'll learn that children aren't as rational as you or me. They are emotional, sweet, confusing, but wonderful all the same."

_Neither Nate nor I are emotional, mother._ Lawliet thought with a scowl.

"Lawliet?" a small inquisitive voice interrupted their mother's angry rant. Both Lawliet and his mother turned to face Nate who stood holding the completed crossword puzzle book. "Play?" he asked with wide innocent eyes melting his mother's heart all the while.

"Yes, sweetie, he'll play with you." The white-haired woman said kindly, before turning to her elder son and spoke in a firm voice. "You're dismissed to go play with your brother." She said, and then turned to leave.

"Will Lawliet play?" he asked climbing up into a chair appearing hopeful. "Play?"

"No." the elder boy replied bluntly. He watched, as the younger boy seemed to wilt in disappointment. He expected the boy to start crying or to go whine to their parents. He didn't know why, but he expected Nate to do one of the two things. Instead the boy just turned his eyes down to the floor in a bad attempt to hide his disappointment. "Oh. Kay." He mumbled before climbing down from the chair and taking the book of completed crosswords off the table. He padded off giving Lawliet one last hopeful glance. "Play?" he asked hoping with all his little heart his brother would say yes this time.

"No, I don't want to play with you." He said more sharply. Nate winced as though he had been stung and nodded. "Kay." He mumbled heartbrokenly and left the teen alone to think about how much he had disappointed the small boy. Soon, however, Lawliet shook the guilt off and got up to get something to eat, but saw a familiar silhouette out the kitchen window. He remembered the deal he'd made with Beyond, and so he headed out towards the wood through the back door intending to keep his part of the deal, seeing as Beyond had kept his part of it. Unknown to Lawliet, though, a suspicious Nate saw him leave. Worried he decided to wait for his brother to return, so he sat beside the backdoor holding the completed book of crosswords close to his chest hoping that his brother would return sooner rather than later, but no such thing happened.

Lawliet came back late.

Nate listened from where he sat in the living room as their parents, their mother did most of the disagreeing, and Lawliet had another argument. He sucked his thumb rocking back and forth in fetal position. He had already finished playing with his puzzles, which were all white, gray, or black and was now feeling helpless to help his elder brother, who he felt was in horrible danger. Shaking he heard yelling and that yell was met with a defiant retort and then there was the sound of the backdoor slamming. He ran to the kitchen and saw his mother sitting at the table rubbing her temples in frustration.

"Mommy?" he called timidly.

She looked at him with teary eyes that made his little heart break.

"Promise me you'll never turn out like that." She said with a weak smile. Nate shifted his weight from foot to foot as he watched her bury her face in her hands. "He's so childish and pigheaded, you know. He's also very overconfident. I know that the overconfidence and the pigheadedness is a good combination in the real world, but it's also two of his worst faults. Please promise you'll stay as sweet and clever as you are now. Promise you'll always be a good little boy. Please, Nate."

The small boy tilted his head to the side in confusion, but quickly nodded. "I promise." He said quietly as he took a seat beside the kitchen door. "I'll be a good boy."

Elsewhere Lawliet and Nate's father lay semi-conscious on the ground. He groaned as he opened his eyes and gasped upon seeing the red-eyed version of his eldest son. The copy smirked evilly holding a large stone in his left hand.

Where was Lawliet? What had happened? He couldn't remember but he did remember tripping and hitting his head on something….

The stone was lifted up.

Dark eyes widened before a veil of black took over.

Several hours later Nate watched his mother pace the room nervously. She kept biting her lip and chewing at her nails. He understood why she felt as she did. His father hadn't come back and neither had Lawliet. It was now nightfall and Nate felt a sick feeling in his stomach. A chill seemed to slither up his spine as he realized that only one would return from where they had went. The other was doomed to never come back.

That feeling gnawed at him telling him that over and over.

Meanwhile, Lawliet was teaching the boy, whom he had learned dubbed himself Beyond, because he thought his abilities went beyond that of humans, how to say a few complex words. Beyond took to speaking rather easily and learned real fast so it was only a matter of time before the red-eyed duplicate knew how to converse. His voice was smooth and sly, but sounded a lot like Lawliet's in a way, but it had more emotion and more appeal.

"I have always lived out here with my family." He explained after Lawliet asked what he was doing out in the forest all alone. "My family and three or four others have been here, since like the early nineteen forties, I think. We've been keeping count of years on stone tablets. No paper, but what can you do? You know some people came out here to hide during some big war and got lost, so they took to living in caves and hunting."

"Hmm, you must mean world war two." Lawliet murmured more to himself rather than to Beyond. "But…what do you hunt? There isn't much prey around here if you ask me."

"Oh, but there is. You just got to look in the right place." He said with a menacing smirk. The smirk he wore made Lawliet feel rather unnerved, but he was able to mask it easily.

"I should probably get home. My family will be angry enough as it is."

"You have a family out here too?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, what are they like?"

"My parents are so annoying and my brother is kind of a pain." He said emotionlessly feeling as though he should be cautious, but he ignored that feeling seeing no reason to mistrust Beyond. "They don't get me at all and get angry when I don't treat my younger brother like he's the most important thing in the world. I just get so frustrated with them all, at times. Sometimes I feel like they aren't my family at all."

"Ah. I understand. You should get home then."

"Yeah, I suppose so." He paused a few feet from the red-eyed boy before giving a hollow, "Bye, B."

"Bye-bye." Beyond said with a small wave and broad smile. "See you soon."

Once Lawliet was out of sight the red-eyed male laughed pulling a piece of raw meat from his pocket and licking it a bit. He pulled some more out and ate on that savoring the taste. "I'll be seeing you all very, very soon." He chuckled coldly.

"That's a promise dear L."

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**Next chappie may be the last of these flashbackish chappies, so get ready for the violence cause it's coming in heaps next chappie. What do you guys think of that?**

**And how many of you imagine that a little kid Near is cute? ****I am just curious about that.**

**Kay. Bye-bye.**

***Giggles***

**~Fairylust~**


	15. Chapter 15

**Third part to the first part of the flashback-ish chappie, which is supposed to explain how Near and his big bro L came to the woods, which are swarming with psychotic cannibals. Hope you all have a good memory, because I think that this will be the last part to this whole flashback-ish chappie, kay?**

**In other news, so far I think the ending to this fanfic will be bittersweet, you know, so far. I may leave it off sad and then do a sequel, because I really think I can work my way from this to…something else…whatever.**

**All in all I don't think I'll do a sequel. Just whatever. It all just depends on what you (the readers) think I should do. Kay? Good. Please don't murder me violently in my sleep if this chappie sucks.**

**Oh, yea, and I am NOT dead.**

**Not like some of the people in this characters, ya know.**

**Well, on with the show!**

**Disclaimer: By the way I do not own Death Note…like at all….**

**Warnings: Flashback-ish chappie, don't like 'em don't read this and violence, blood, gore, language, idiocy, and so on. That's kinda why it is rated M.**

**~Love Fairylust~**

* * *

As L walked through the woods he began to feel slightly…timorous…of his surroundings. Things just seemed…different. Things seemed to be ominous, atrocious, unpleasant, and more or less evil. The plants, which had seemed like nothing before now seemed to be shadowed in an ominous evil that threatened to swallow him whole.

Chills seemed to bolt down his spine. Was this exactly how his baby brother felt? If so, then he understood the boy's fear completely. Mysterious rustling just a few feet away made him swallow hard. _It was just an animal, some small, timid animal._ He told himself unflinchingly. He jumped and turned as he heard leaves crunching loudly behind him.

Dark eyes searched the scene, but nobody was there.

Lawliet tried to continue walking, but as soon as he got a foot away a rock struck the back of his head, hard. He let out a cry of pain. Looking to see who had thrown it he was met with another stone, which hit his forehead. Blood drizzled down his face as a long, deep cut appeared. Lawliet gasped as two more stones hit him. One hit the center of his chest and the other hitting his left hand. He was sure that a bone broke. Three more stones hit him in his back as he turned and ran as fast as he could.

He stumbled at first, but was quick to regain his balance.

Suddenly, the ground gave way beneath his feet and he fell. Lawliet yelped in agony when a jolt of sharp, unyielding pain ran up his leg. He felt lucky that he had managed to grab the side of the pit, because when he looked down he saw that the pit was full of spikes. There were some small animals impaled, but what made Lawliet cry out in horror were the two decaying bodies, which were impaled through their torsos and heads.

One was a girl, who appeared to be around his age and there was a man who was so decayed that his appearance and age couldn't be predicted. Lawliet let out a scream of fear and disgust. He struggled to get back to high ground, and then he was running again.

This time, however, he was cornered by two wild looking teens, which seemed to have rabies. He staggered backwards. They jumped him causing him to lose his balance completely and fall to the ground. One bit into his arm and that was when a rock smashed into the back of one of their heads. Blood spurted all over him. A red-eyed Beyond Birthday stood licking his lips wickedly. Lawliet stared wide-eyed as the smiling teen beat the other rabid looking teen to death with the rock he held.

"You should be more careful." He said giggling evilly. "You'll catch your death out here."

This comment provoked more menacing giggles to escape from his throat.

Lawliet didn't stay there another moment; he got up and ran for home. When he got there he went to his and Nate's room and locked the door. Nate had heard his brother's arrival and he wondered just what had caused him to run in and lock their room as fast as he had. He padded over to the door and knocked.

It turned out to be a mistake.

"What do you want?" his older brother snapped from his side of the door. Nate hesitated unsure of what to say, but he was forced to speak when he heard his brother's shaky, yet annoyed voice say, "I know it's you, so answer."

"You kay?" he asked timidly.

The door came open. Nate yelped when Lawliet grabbed his arm rather tightly and pulled him in. The small boy was terrified when he saw his brother's stern expression.

"Listen, Nate, just shut your mouth and listen." He said in a whisper. "I have seen some things that would possibly make you die of terror and I have a good idea where our missing parent has ended up and I am telling you that we won't survive unless we leave now, but I seriously don't see that happening. I am stressed, tired, and ready to hurt someone. Do I sound okay to you?"

The boy's eyes were now wide and teary. His lower lip quivered. He immediately got out of there. He raced from the house and hoped that he wouldn't have to return anytime soon, because he was hated so much by the one person he cared about most of all. He was fairly certain that he was only running towards death, but it didn't matter. He was no fool, though. Nate knew that things were going to end the same one way or another.

It wasn't long before he let out a loud yelp and fell to the ground blood oozing from his ankle as the metal teeth of the trap bit deep enough to scrape bone. He let out a small yelp that was surprisingly silenced when a hand met his face. He fell backwards hitting his head against a hollowed log. Half awake and bleeding profusely from his wounded ankle and now wounded head he lay on the ground struggling to breathe.

"Aww, you're so cute like Lawli said." Someone muttered.

"Brother." he whimpered in terror wishing his older brother were there. Nate felt the stranger shift a bit closer from their position over his limp body. His eyes tried to stay wide open and he struggled to make his vision clear, but it kept blurring everything before him. A hand applied over his nose and mouth helped lead him into an uneasy sleep.

Meanwhile, Lawliet discovered that Nate is missing from his mother who was sitting in the kitchen falling apart. Feeling more anger, sadness, and guilt than fear he headed off into the gloomy woods to meet with B, whom he knew was the malevolent mastermind behind all of this.

Lawliet stopped once at the meeting place where he had been meeting Beyond to teach him how to talk. In truth he felt uneasy sitting there alone with unknown dangers, possibly, lurking everywhere. A strange smell made him scrunch his nose up. _It's just the woods ignore it._ He told himself determined to stay where he was until B came along.

His look-alike appeared a few dull hours later humming a tuneless song. Lawliet tensed seeing he had blood soaking the front of his shirt and spattered all over his face. Keeping a glare and scowl he sat watching B's every movement filled by an icy rage.

"Something wrong?" the red-eyed look-alike asked innocently. "You seem angry with Beyond. Did I do something wrong?"

"You murdered my dad, didn't you?"

"Nope."

"You snatched my brother."

"Nuh-uh."

"You did!" Lawliet snapped angrily. "I have no idea why, other than the fact you are a sick and cannibalistic sociopath, but you _did_! I _know_ you did! Now give him back!"

"I thought you said he was a pain. I thought you didn't care about him and wanted him to die. I thought you wanted all of them to die. Isn't that what you meant when you told me that they were all annoying to you and wanted you to care about your brother like he was better than you? Isn't that why you hate them so much? Nobody is better than you, my Lawli. And my aim is to show them that before they die a slow and painful death."

"What?" he gasped stunned with realization that his words had gotten him and his family into the mess they were in now. Why couldn't he have chosen his words more carefully?

Beyond smirked seeing that glare and scowl melt.

"No!" Lawliet groaned shaking his head. "They're my family. Sure I get annoyed with them, but I don't hate them and I certainly don't want them to die! I-"

"It's too late!" B hissed. "I've already killed them all, I work fast and silently, but if you run you might get to see them one last time."

Dark eyes drifted to the sky and widened seeing a thick cloud of smoke was rising up in the sky. That strange smell wasn't just the woods. It was a fire! He got to his feet and gave B a cold glare before breaking into a run heading for the cabin. When he got there he found the door was locked. He ended up having to climb in through a window, which had been broken open by Beyond he guessed.

The combination of smoke and heat was suffocating but he didn't falter. He began to look around and sooner rather than later he found his badly wounded mother and brother lying side by side in the living room.

He was unconscious.

She was not. Her arms were around her son protectively. It looked like someone had slashed into her face and torso repeatedly. Blood stained her clothes and the floor around her. Tears were spilling from her eyes. It seemed to be more from fear than the immense pain she had to have been feeling. Lawliet knew that it was probably the fear of being unable to save Nate, rather than the idea of dying herself. That was just the kind of person she was and always had been. Lawliet dropped to his knees beside them unsure of what to do.

If he saved her then Nate would die.

If he saved Nate then his mother would die.

Either way one of them would die, because he knew from one glance that as soon as he got out of the burning building he wouldn't be able to come back in and even if he did the fire would have already gotten to the one he aimed to save. Even now embers that drifted in the air were stinging his face and he was certain that his lungs were being thickly coated by ash and soot. Sweat dripped down his face along with a few stray tears.

"You can't save me." His mother said breaking into his despairing thoughts. "I'm gonna die one way or the other. You have to save Nate and get out of here."

He opened his mouth to argue that he couldn't do that but she interrupted him with a grimace. "I don't care about what you are thinking, genius, but I don't want you to argue. This place is falling down and soon we're gonna be buried. You need to get him and get out now."

"O-okay. I guess this is goodbye then."

"Bye."

Lawliet picked Nate up gingerly and ran for the window. The roof collapsed as he neared it. A heavy beam pinned his leg down. He let out a cry of pain tightening his grip on the smaller boy. The teen tried to push the heavy beam off in vain. He stared at his brother's pale face that was stained by dried blood and ash. _This is it_, he thought exhaling, _we're going to die here and it's my entire fault._

_I'm sorry Nate._ He thought feeling himself go limp. The smoke stinging his lungs and burning his eyes something awful._ If you hate me I'll get it. Just don't wake up. I couldn't stand to watch you die in pain. _His eyes closed halfway as the air was really beginning to hurt them now. That was when he heard someone grunting in annoyance.

"You have to get into trouble, don't you?" a familiar voice snickered. He looked up and saw the hazy form of Beyond. "Couldn't be fun and just let them die, could you?" The grumbling continued as he moved the beam from Lawliet's leg and forced him to his feet.

"Let's get out of here." B said idly climbing onto the windowsill. "Things are getting too hot around here, you know."

Soon the three of them were all outside. As soon as Lawliet caught his breath he was knocked down by Beyond who punched him square in the jaw. He responded by landing a blow to his stomach and soon they were rolling on the ground shouting at each other and landing blow for blow after a few minutes of this Lawliet kicked B off him and went to check and see if Nate was okay. To his horror the small boy wasn't breathing.

He applied CPR a few times.

Nate coughed and gasped for air. Lawliet relaxed but tensed once he noticed that B had been watching a bit too closely and a bit too interestedly. "So you like him then?" he asked once he noticed that Lawliet was staring at him curiously.

"What? No! He's my brother you sick perv!"

"Uh-huh. Then why were you making lip contact?"

"It's called CPR, idiot!"

Insulted Beyond gave an indignant snort, "You're the idiot for not leaving the child to burn to a brittle bony corpse."

Glaring at the red-eyed menace Lawliet knew that he would never forgive him for what he did. He silently swore vengeance against B for murdering his parents and attempting to kill Nate. It was personal. _But that could wait for later._ He told himself numbly.

And little did he know that a month from that day they would become the worst of enemies. They would get off on a good start for a week or two, but in the end they would become bitter enemies. Mostly because Lawliet, who would change his name to L, would choose Nate, who would become Near, over Beyond, who would die a horrible death years later (**A/N:** no need to go into that now), who had a crush on L but would become infatuated with A later on due to insanity and the fact he in reality liked the guy.

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**And that's about it. Sorry if it wasn't any better, but ya know I did try.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Yeah…it's been a LONG while since I have updated and I feel bad about that but I also feel kinda glad cause now I've got the motivation and creative thoughts composed to finish this, so please enjoy this and the next shall be the last chappie.**

**This I mean! *Salutes to all those for sticking around so long* You guys deserve this, sorry to have stopped updating for such a long time.**

**Oh, yeah, and, umm, sorry if this is too short!**

**~Luffily Promises, Fairylust~**

* * *

The fog settled over the land thickly. It was so dense that if you held your hand in front of your own face you wouldn't see it at all no matter how hard you squinted. And it was on this day that strange figures moved silently through the forest. There was no fear in the air only tension. Nimbly a shadowy figure hung upside down on a branch and looked around. They saw nothing so they made a noise similar to a bird squawking.

This allowed several others to know it was time to move, both Matt and Mello felt sweat drip down their faces as nervousness took over.

The plan was simple, yet complex. They couldn't believe what they were doing. They just couldn't believe it! After facing the horrors of the past and escaping the man-eating…erm…men they were heading back, which seemed insane and suicidal when they thought about it. They had seen a pile of leftovers, met Near, hiked about together, and suffered great pain and were now heading towards the root of their problems.

When thought about it sounded like they had gone insane themselves. Especially when they heard (earlier) that BB was looking for them from a kid, who was sent out to scout, but came back with a knife stuck in his back and a chuck torn from his arm, blood was everywhere and there was a message carved into his torso. Blood dripped from his slashed throat as he uttered a few final gurgling noises, and then collapsed in a pool of crimson life.

It was horrible.

Still, it was okay because when they thought about it, it was just another day in what Matt had dubbed 'Cannibal Land'. And they knew this was a suicide mission that would only benefit those outside of the forest, so…yeah…they were kind of out of it; that or just plain foolish with a dash of bravery running through their minds.

Everyone present was already burdened by what they knew at one point or another. The gore and violence was permanently burned into their minds and silently eating away at their souls. Those who agreed to do this were pretty sure that there was a very unlikely chance of walking away. It was difficult to do something when you knew there was a good chance of dying but that is when you swallow the fear and not wimp out.

Soon they were at the entrance to the cave, which now sported a better warning: Two decapitated heads impaled on a spear just a few feet apart from the sides of the entryway.

It didn't take long before they were inside. Some of them went one way others went the opposite way. Mello and Matt both followed the directions of Near, who was leading them. Because the light wasn't good enough to read the map L had handed them. It shone a way to a room that was (supposed to be anyway) filled by explosives that had been hoarded and abandoned by the cannibals. Not all of them were dumb. Or at the least, the first generation of the cannibals weren't.

They kept more than just primitive weapons at hand, both Matt and Mello had their guns and were given handmade knives, which they kept hidden in their boots. All they needed was a way to light the sticks of dynamite up, because they weren't sure their new lighter, which L had found two years prior to their situation, would work. Heading that way, lead by Near, who seemed rather uncomfortable being back in his old home, no, his prison, both Mello and Matt felt chilled as the air and darkness embraced them in a fierce, icy hug.

"Mello?" Matt whispered. "Are you sure we can trust Near to not lead us into a different, more dangerous room? I mean, not that I don't already trust him, but what if he doesn't remember which way is which?"

"Near is smart." Mello whispered. "He's proved that much already. Trust him. And do what I do a little bit."

"What?"

"Pray. Near might fail, so just pray."

"Oh." Matt muttered. "That makes me feel just _so_ great, bud."

"You're welcome."

Rolling his eyes Matt froze upon feeling a cold hand touch his leg. He dared not to move not sure whether who or whatever it was would attack or if it was even alive and the thought of something dead touching you really sent chills up your spine. He stood there for what felt like minutes before he could get his voice to move up and out of his throat. "Mello?" he whispered urgently unable to see who or what was touching him. "Something is touching my leg…and I think it might be dead…but I'm not sure."

He heard nothing save for the sounds of breathing and he wasn't sure who that was. He wanted to believe it was him. But he was very doubtful of that. He suddenly felt an urge to scream and he did as soon as that same cold feeling, which Matt quickly realized was a hand grabbed at his throat clutching onto him tightly and making guttural noises of anger and excitement. Panicking Matt raised a fist hitting somewhere in the darkness and connecting to his attacker's face. He then grabbed hold of his gun and fired three times, killing the sick freak. Stumbling back in the darkness Matt realized he hadn't killed him. He must have missed, because he heard the cannibal scrambling and thrashing about on the ground. He, Matt assumed by the cries the cannibal was male, was in pain and the noises he let out of his mouth made Matt want to scream too.

The last scream the cannibal made echoed throughout the darkness sure to bring more.

Up ahead Mello just realized that his friend had disappeared. He turned and looked around as the scream reached his ears. "Matt?" He called as quietly as he could without shouting. He started to run back, but was stopped when he felt Near grab hold of his wrist stopping him. "Let me go! Did you hear that scream? That could've been Matt! Don't you realize that? Matt could be in trouble! We've got to go back for him!"

"No." Near said. Actually, Mello had learned that Near wasn't totally mute and learned pretty fast. He just didn't know how to speak English real good. Back at L's hide out he actually learned that Near knew a good amount of French and Japanese, though he couldn't say many sentences. Apparently, Near was piecing words he heard from others together, like he were trying to stitch a sentence together. "No." he repeated just as firmly, fixing Mello with a stern glare that couldn't really be seen in the dark.

"What? How can you-" he cut himself off remembering what they had all agreed to before coming there. He sighed and nodded. "No matter what. Stick to the plan, right?"

"Yes." Near said with a nod. He then began to jog forwards. Looking over his shoulder for a moment Mello hesitated, and then followed.

"Okay," Matt had said as they got dressed before leaving the hideout, "there is a good chance of death, seeing as we're heading for the killer's house, so what should we promise?"

"I promise that if I get out alive I'll kill you for getting us in this mess in the first place." Mello mumbled bitterly pulling on his pants, and then examining his shirt. "I'm gonna have nightmares of this whole thing for weeks! Do you even know how much blood I'll have to wash from my hair and clothes? Or how much I am beginning to regret our friendship."

"No, Mels!" Matt chuckled holding his shirt, standing there naked. Mello avoided looking at him finding that it would send the wrong signals. He just was unable to feel that way about Matt even after everything. He just didn't think you should think of your best friend like that. It seemed wrong. "Seriously." Matt said grinning a lopsided smirk.

"Who says I'm kidding?"

"If I were you," L had said seeming to appear out of nowhere with Near peering out at them from behind, "then I would promise that no matter what we'd stick to the plan."

"Where the hell did you come from?" Matt had shouted in surprise trying to cover himself. "You perverted jackass! Have you been standing there and watching us the whole time?" He'd shouted blushing.

"No I just got here, actually." he said shrugging. A smirk lit up his face after a moment of thought. "However, I did see Near peeking in on the two of you when I arrived."

"What?" Both teens had exclaimed looking to the younger boy, who stood behind his older brother blushing a bit. Matt stood still trying to cover himself and scolded him in a way that seemed closer to a freak-out than actual scolding, while Mello looked at the boy blushing and looking unsure about how to respond. "You shouldn't peek in on people when they are naked and trying to get dressed it's creepy!" Matt had shouted to end his lecture. Near nodded, still blushing and looking at the ground. This was where L put his two cents in.

"Actually, Matt, I believe he was looking at Mello rather than at you."

"What? Near! Is that true?" Mello exclaimed blushing a furious shade of red. Near nodded a bit, seeming worried about how things would turn out from there, as he was turning a brighter red. Mello felt his vice catch in his throat, but quickly put his shirt on and quickly left the room.

That had seemed to be the end of that.

In the present, as they made their way through the maze of caves Mello felt uncomfortable being with Near in the darkness and cannibals chasing after them. He wasn't sure what to really do other than follow Near. When they finally came to their intended destination Mello stopped dead in his tracks not expecting what he saw once they were there. The room was loaded with explosives! Sure he already knew that but he didn't know just _how_ loaded. It was ridiculous! There were boxes of various sizes labeled TNT and dynamite and nitroglycerin and lots of other explosives. It was just so freakin insane!

"Oh, damn! Where the hell did they find all of this?"

Near shrugged. Mello shook his head not really wanting to believe that the younger boy had no clue about that. He took a deep breath to regain his cool once more. He quickly grabbed a few sticks of dynamite shoving them into his bag. "Okay, so let's get some of these wired up around here before we blow this puppy up, or if you want then we can just go ahead and blow this puppy, kay?"

Near gave him a confused expression.

"Let me put this in simple terms: do you want to go with plan A or B?"

"B?" he said sounding numbed about the matter. The blonde was glad he chose plan B because he liked that idea. "Nice choice." He said smiling. Mello chuckled and pulled his lighter out checking to make sure there was enough liquid left in it to ignite the dynamite. It had just enough liquid left to do the job. "B!" he heard Near shout behind him. He waved a hand at him as though to dismiss him. "Can't you see I'm working on it?"

"B!" Near shouted sounding close to hysterical. The pressure of the situation was bad enough. Mello didn't need the kid to try attracting some unwanted attention, or distract him from what he was doing, with his screaming. Mello turned feeling rather annoyed at the younger boy. "Would you please calm down an-" before he could get his final words out he was knocked down to the ground semi-conscious with blood pouring down his forehead after a stone was smashed against his head.

"Merro!" Near shouted. He ran for the blonde's still form, but he was stopped when Beyond took hold of his white hair as he tried to run past him. Screaming in pain he whimpered feeling the grip tighten. Near wailed feeling panicked as he remembered his last encounter with the cannibalistic maniac. "Last time will look like a cut finger by the time I finish with you." He hissed in the boy's ear making him sob and struggle a bit more. "Merro! Run! Run!" It was the last Mello heard from Near before he was forcibly dragged from the room screaming in terror and anguish.

Near knew he was probably never going to get to see his two new friends ever again or his older brother for that matter. Fighting against B didn't seem to do much good, however. Especially when B got tired of the struggling after a while and smacked him real hard across the face to make him stop. It worked. Near didn't want to risk angering him any more than he already was. Shaking all over he started to feel death was breathing down his neck.

The same feeling everyone else were getting.

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**Sorry to leave off there, but ya know...sorry. *****Shrugs a bit and yawns* S****leepy and tired so I'm getting some shut eye now, later!**

**;3**

**~Luv, Fairylust~**


	17. Chapter 17

**The final chapter for Cannibal Land. And it has been added exactly: 11/18/11 at 11:27 P.M.**

**Mostly because I had to go to a musical and didn't get back until real late this afternoon. ****Anywayz, I thank all who've read and hop you've enjoyed this story. I think that this ending is pretty good.**

**~Luv, Fairylust~**

* * *

Near soon found himself shoved to the ground of an empty room in the cave. The ashy colored sand didn't break his fall and flew when he attempted to scramble away from a furious looking Beyond. The fire that burned in the center of the room made his red eyes look even more infuriated, glowing faintly as though they were a crimson fire against Beyond's snowy skin. Recalling how much hatred he'd seen in those eyes before seemed like nothing to what hatred he was seeing now. Near sat staring up at him fearfully, his back pressed snugly against a warm stonewall as his body shuddered in apprehension. Suddenly, he was onto the small boy, grabbing a handful of snowy curls he pulled Near's head to where their lips met, causing the younger male to whimper.

A hand went to B's shoulder to try and shove him away, but the older male was much stronger and swatted the hand aside like it were some annoying parasite buzzing in his ear. Near struggled and whimpered, squirming despite the fact he knew he wasn't going to get away. He didn't last time, so why would he this time? Near could still remember how B had stroked his spine after cutting into his back and his body shuddered while tears dripped from the corner of his eyes. B suddenly pulled away from him and ripped the boy's shirt off revealing his lightly colored scars that were just about completely gone, faded almost into his skin.

Shivering the small boy squirmed and whimpered some more feeling fingertips trace the scars gently, and then nails were digging into his stomach creating bloody crescents. He was surprised when his body shook and a soft, low moan escaped the back of his throat, causing Beyond to look at him with a knowing smirk. It was like he knew something that Near didn't and he was about to milk that secret for all its worth. Dragging his nails up the small boy's stomach he received the same reaction as he had before. Near tried to make him stop yet again only to get slapped across the face, sending him sprawling to the side where B got on top of him, straddling his hips, both hands pressed down firmly on the smaller boy's shoulders, and then continuing the harsh treatment.

Why was this happening to him? It hurt so much. The nails digging into his stomach made him wish he were somewhere else. This wish became even more wanted when teeth started to nibble on his skin. After a few minutes marks showing dominance over the younger male were scattered all over his neck. His breathing was quick and hitched as Beyond started to punch him over and over again. "Stop!" he sobbed. Beyond smirked at this and tore off (thankfully not literally) the only other garment the small teen was wearing at the time.

Struggling even more furiously Near squealed when Beyond took hold of his hair and slammed his head down as hard as he could to the ground several times until his nose was bloody and he was too dazed to struggle as much. Beyond then chuckled quietly to himself and abused the younger male a bit more, before starting to molest him a bit, taking hold of the younger boy's member and rubbing a bit getting a few soft moans from the smaller boy. Near was just conscious enough to realize what was happening. He whimpered loudly trying to squirm away to no avail. Shaking he hoped Mello was able to go through with the plan before Beyond finished with him.

He'd rather die by Mello's actions than through B's torture.

Mello was finally gaining full consciousness as Matt shook him awake. "Mels?" he said as he shook his friend hoping he would say something to him, anything, or respond in some way. "Mels! Are you okay?" The blonde shoved him away holding a hand to his forehead. He felt the dried blood and was sure his head was bruised terribly but ignored that and tried to recall what had happened beforehand. "Do I look okay?" he mumbled, and then realized that Matt was the only other person there with him.

"Where's Near?"

"I dunno. When L and I got here you were lying here unconscious. Can you remember what happened?"

"Um…yeah, I-I think so. Near and me were here, getting ready to finish the plan, and then…and then that sick freak attacked me. B. H-he took Near."

"Oh, snap!" Matt breathed looking stunned. "A psychotic cannibal plus our little buddy totally doesn't equal anything good!"

"Well, where the hell did L go?"

"Hmm?" Matt looked around and sighed. "How should I know? One minute he was here and the next thing I know he went running off. Look, if you ask me everyone else is dead so we need to light this place up and get outta here!"

"What about-"

"L said no matter what we had to go on with the plan. I think him and Near are like some hardcore survivors. If there is one thing they can do, Mello, its survive."

"Fine." He halfheartedly relented. "If that is what you believe and what he said then I'll trust the both of you but I swear if either of those bastards die I'll make sure to kill them in the afterlife." Nodding, though not smiling at the comment Matt helped him up and they got to work rigging the explosives as they were told to do.

Meanwhile, L searched desperately for Near. He knew that if B had him then any amount of torture could be happening. In all honesty he was scared. He had to save his brother and he knew he had to do it before Beyond finished with him because Beyond Birthday never made the same mistake twice.

It wasn't until the sobs reached him, echoing from the back of the darkest part of the cave, which seemed to escalate, going up and past what L swore was a waterfall beyond the cave. When he reached the dimly lit room Near was lying curled up and sobbing clothes ripped and bloody, but back on his body. He trembled all over as L entered he looked up and gave a loud yelp mistaking him for Beyond. He jumped to his feet and seemed ready to try and find somewhere to hide when L moved towards him, owlish gray eyes glowing in the firelight. "B-brother?" The albino stammered causing L to nod in response to the question.

"Shhh," L whispered standing before him, hoping to soothe him, quiet him. "He isn't going to hurt you anymore. Not if I can help it." He received a weary look from Near who swayed a bit forwards obviously very fatigued. "Th-thank you, brother." He murmured then fell forwards limp in his older brother's arms.

That was when the laughter started from someplace in the darkness.

"Beyond," he started the stopped shaking his head, "I haven't got time for this." He put one of Near's arms around his neck and helped him walk, "Let's go." He muttered to him knowing that if things went as planned the place was about to go up in smoke and kill every cannibal that stood within those caves. He knew he had to get Near out of there and he had to go, as well, and fast. "Please, oh please, don't go off too early or late." He murmured almost silently to himself. Narrowing ruby orbs, suspecting something was up, Beyond followed as silently as he could, which was close to utterly silent.

L suspected he was being followed. As soon as Near gained enough awareness to walk on his own and listen for danger L gave him a gentle shove, so that he stumbled a bit as his body lurched fowards. "Go find Mello and Matt and leave." He instructed watching as Near nodded though avoided eye contact. "I need the three of you to leave. I'll join you if I can, but if not…then I need you to go away with them, okay?"

Near nodded obediently.

"Don't come back or look back just run."

Near didn't respond this time, instead he began to run, recalling where Mello was last and heading that way doing as told. L turned a little too late and Beyond tackled him to the ground as they began their fight for survival.

Slamming his forehead into Beyond's causing them both to grunt loudly in pain, but for a moment L was certain he heard a third howl of pain. No, he had to be mistaken, unless some cannibal found Near and took him down. He sincerely hoped that that wasn't the case as he watched Beyond stagger backwards and fell.

Suddenly, there was flash of white. Beyond fell backwards, managing to catch himself and land a blow to L's stomach in return for the strike to the head. L felt something heavy, like a large stone or maybe limb slam into his side, and then he felt it slam into the center of his back. Pain flooded his senses, his thoughts were completely clouded, but the pain numbed by the adrenaline rush he was feeling. Turning on his heel a foot connected with B's face making him even angrier than he was for a minute. He couldn't think up a plan of escape, not that he regretted it, but was rather angry at himself, knowing that there was a rather high chance of him losing again and he could possibly be killed, now that he had nothing to hold over L's head.

Mello paused for a brief moment before turning at the sound of foot steps running towards him and Matt. The only good thing about the dark was that once his eyes were well adjusted enough his other senses sharpened. Matt also turned to face him, and then tensed. "Do you think-?" he started saying. Mello shook his head, not knowing what to think. If they were about to be attacked, then he figured they were dead. "I don't know. Stay sharp. Whatever or whoever it is…they're getting closer." He said, keeping his voice low just in case it was some cannibal scum coming to get a meal.

Near whimpered as he stumbled forwards, stumbling straight into Mello, who in turn fell into Matt. The three let out loud shouts of surprise and horror but once realizing whom they were with started to hug and quiet down, worried of attracting any attention, which they already had. Mello cursed loudly, as a few rocks were kicked aside in the dark when cannibals ran none too quietly towards them.

"Oh, no." Matt groaned getting to his feet and starting to run. He stopped realizing that his two friends weren't following. "Let's go, go, go! We can have a happy reunion when some cannibal freaks aren't trying to take a bite out of our sorry asses! Guys, let's move it!"

Swearing loudly Mello grabbed hold of Near's wrist and followed Matt as they headed off for the cave entrance.

"You sorry bastard!" Beyond swore as blood gushed from his nose. L made a run for an opening he noticed that had a dim looking light inside. Growling angrily Beyond chased after him wiping away the blood with his sleeve. "That's right! You better run, you sorry son of a bitch! Just let me catch you…and I'll kill you!"

Running up what turned out to be a twisting stone tunnel that oddly enough went upwards towards the sounds of the waterfall, which was soon strident in his head as he found himself run forwards headfirst into bright sunlight that blinded him causing him to stumble and fall to his hands and knees for a moment. The light had invaded his sight rather quickly and unexpectedly.

Once his eyes were adjusted he stood up, moving over to the edge of the cliff, which he found was far over the exit to the underground caves and tunnels. Beyond was soon behind him, not as badly affected by the sunlight, but stunned for a moment or so. He swiftly gained his senses, but by the time he made a move L had already started to charge at him. Ducking to the side almost at the last minute he grabbed hold of L's shoulders pulling him in so that their skulls clashed harshly together.

His whole body shook as he pulled away, and then landed a blow in B's already bruised abdomen. Thrusting an arm forwards L gasped feeling something as it sank into his stomach with a sharp, painful sensation. He dared to look down. Crimson stained his clothing and was spreading fast.

Red eyes gleamed at this.

Panting they soon found that they couldn't outrun the demons chasing them. Near then suddenly noticed a rather large looking tunnel entrance that was partially sealed closed by a huge stone, which had fallen from the ceiling long ago. Stopping he ran to it and knelt down ignoring the approaching footsteps. He dug at the ground hoping to make the hole there slightly bigger. He smiled upon seeing it was big enough for him to squeeze through. Crawling into the rather large room he made a sour face at the unpleasant odor that presented itself to him.

"Hey, Matt!" Mello called to his friend, as they ceased their running completely to stare back at Near, who'd disappeared. "Follow Near! I think he has a plan!"

Following Matt found it hard to fit through at first, seeing as Near was way smaller than either he or Mello, but he finally managed to make it through. Mello went next, screaming when a hand took hold of his leg. Kicking he felt someone bite him and he cried out, just as hands began to pull him backwards, his nails scraping the ground in desperation to stay alive with his friends. "Oh, no you don't!" Matt breathed quickly grabbing the blonde's wrist. "You've made it too far to get dragged off and munched now, you sorry son of a bitch!"

"This is hardly my choice!" Mello laughed nervously as he felt himself pulled all the way through to safety. He stood looking back wary that someone else may have came through as well. Fortunately, his fears held no merit. The sound of hands, nails, and weak stomping sounds, and loud noises outside of the new dark room they had discovered drifted to them encouraging the two to move backwards. "Near?" Matt whisper called. "Where are you? Near?"

"Why are you being so quiet? Agh, this smell is so damn awful! Let's find Near and get out of here. Anyway, we're the only ones here, you know, at least…for now." He tried to shake the feeling of dread that washed over him but it seemed impossible. "Near! Hey, Near! Where are you at now?"

The ground shook and a rumbling noise from below caused L to look down, as he sat on the ground wiping blood from his lower lip. Beyond was across from him, also panting and he was licking blood away from his lips, having bit deeply into L's shoulder before being shoved away. Now, as his long hated rival lay on the ground bleeding with a hand to his wounded stomach Beyond felt confident that he was going to win.

Looking at each other, despite the darkness Mello and Matt both knew what that was all about. Bits and pieces of rock fell hitting them in the head as the ground shook and more sounds of explosives going off made the air feel hotter and the smell intensify in stench and forcing them to stand shaking uneasily. "We better find a way out of here." Matt muttered loud enough for Mello to hear as he headed further into the darkness, ignoring the screams of pain and horror from the cannibals beyond that room.

"Near?" Matt shouted. "Where the hell did you go?"

As if having been waiting on a cue Near appeared seemingly out of nowhere behind the redhead making him jump and scream. Mello rushed to his side not having noticed Near either. He embraced the boy snugly, glad that he was all right, but pissed that he'd disserted him and Matt. "Where did you come from?" He demanded releasing the boy from his hold. The smaller boy pointed over to where there was a rather disturbing sight to one who wasn't used to seeing a pile of rotted bones and corpses that were pushed aside from an escape exit. "Perfect." Matt groaned, not thrilled about having to go through that exit.

"Oh, Near, if not for the fact your filthy and love your space I'd kiss you!" Mello exclaimed feeling overjoyed with the small boy's discovery. Another rumble made even more, slightly larger bits of rock and dirt from above them fall onto their heads. "Let's hurry now, before this place collapses on top of us."

Nodding Near watched as Mello, and then Matt disappeared into the exit before following. The feeling of gross gunk and rotting goop was underneath them along with the feeling of dampness and who knows what else that really explained the horrible stench. Neither Mello nor Matt thought they'd ever forget that smell, which was now what they both associated with death. Groaning as cobwebs stuck in his hair and onto his face Matt paused for a moment, silently considering going back the way he came, only to be nudged forwards by Near, who wasn't willing to let either of his friends give up. They were almost there to the end of the tunnel.

Light soon graced Mello's face making him wince a bit, yet at the same time laugh and cry in joy. He clawed out of the tunnel gasping and panting hoping to rid his nostrils of that horrid stench. Sickened Matt received help from the blonde instantly also feeling tears of joy run down his reddened face, meanwhile his stomach done some graceful acrobatic feats inside of his body. Near whimpered as he pulled himself from the hole covered by blood and grime and dust and all other kinds of filth that made him look the dirtiest of them all. He had only a second to inhale the sweet mid-day air, and then Mello and Matt each took a hand and began to lead him away as a certain powerful detonation caused a nearby stonewall of the large cliff's side to partially give way.

"Any last words?" Beyond asked. He was leaning over L, who was lying seriously wounded and silently indignant on the ground after taking a rather unpleasant smack across the face from Beyond. The red-eyed cannibal leader held his stone knife to his look-alike's throat, clutching some black hair in a vice grip. "Anything else you'd like to say?"

Smiling L let his eyes drift close. "Why are you so confident?"

"Face it, L. I've won, you lose, I win and that is just perfect for me. You see, this game we've played and prolonged for such a long time is finally at an end and I am the victor, not you, but me, Beyond Birthday! The monster, the loser, the evil son of a bitch you swore you were going to make pay for destroying your precious family. Well, guess what?" He leaned his face down closer to L's and whispered knowingly, "You have failed and Mommy and Daddy were delicious, just so you know."

Narrowing his ebony eyes in anger L kicked Beyond as hard as he could right in his stomach, sending him backwards. From there he took hold of Beyond and they both fell to the ground rolling and fighting, neither yet willing to give up, until someone was finally dead. Finally they fell into the shallow water of the waterfall, which still roared loudly despite the volume of the two enraged males' fight.

L fought well but in the end Beyond overpowered him, stabbing him as hard as he could once again, but this time in the center of his chest. Gasping L stared up at him feeling his blood as it filled his lungs. Beyond pinned him down in the water his rage still burning in his red eyes. A twisted smirk spread over his face as the disbelief filled L's ebony eyes, which were soon holding a look of peace and triumph. Scowling upon realizing this, Beyond knew straight away that something was amiss.

"What are you so happy about?" He demanded. "You've lost everything, so why-?"

"I have lost nothing." He said, blood falling from the corners of his mouth but the happiness evident in his voice. "I couldn't tell them about my actual plan, knowing they would not understand it until it was too late. I had to lie. Leading them on to believe it was to kill all of you when really it was just you I was after."

Staring at him shocked Beyond felt all words leave his mouth, no speech was possible as shock made him momentarily mute.

"Now, Beyond, we shall die together as your kingdom literally crumbles away beneath you. And as for my family," he said pausing to have a slow intake of air, "they are now avenged for what you did." He then added sadly, "And for what I did." With that said he let out a silent, but shaky exhale of air. He was unable to inhale again, afterwards. Standing Beyond staggered away from L, running back to the tunnel only to find it had collapsed. In a rage he ran back towards his dying victim hoping to get a few more stabs in before they died.

He didn't get the chance.

As though on a signal a string of thunderous expositions made the ground beneath them crumble away and they were soon falling. Beyond was lost from L's fading sight as they fell amongst the water and rubble. He felt a smile as it spread on his face, peace filling his body as a white light overtook his vision.

This is it. He thought. After everything, this is where it all ends. I won…yet, at what cost? I have left my only family…here on this cruel earth…he has friends, though. He will know the joy of life…hopefully. An-and perhaps, someday, we shall meet again.

Falling to the ground his body lifeless L was covered by the rubble and earth, which made a cloud of dust so large that the three friends huddled together a hundred yards away saw it. It cleared after a little while and they then stood. Mello and Matt stared both seeming overjoyed to have succeeded in their mission. They hugged each other and talked excitedly, but Near wasn't fooled by the appearance. He could sense that something wasn't exactly right. Standing with his fists clenched at his side he felt he had to get a closer look. Padding off he was intercepted by his friends, whom were both confused at his actions.

"Near where are you going?" Mello called. "Hey, wait up, you little creep!"

"Yeah!" Matt agreed. "What's your deal? We've won! They're all dead and we can go home, now! So let's go!"

Near froze where he was and turned to look at them icily making them quiet down and watch as he stared intently at the rubble as though expecting to find something. And after a few minutes both Mello and Matt saw what that something was. They stood still looking stiff and rigid behind Near looking at him in unbelieving horror at the scene before them.

Matt was gaping, while Mello held a firm hand on his arm staring wide-eyed at the bloody, mangled body that had clawed its way from beneath the rubble. Near stared angrily at the one who had taken everything and anything precious from him, feeling fury rush through his veins. Ominous, stormy gray eyes that were cold as ice stared down unsympathetically at the severely wounded body of Beyond Birthday.

Mommy. Daddy. Maki. L.

They were all precious to him. And Beyond had snatched them all away like they were nothing. His family and friend had done nothing and were innocent of any crime against Beyond and the other cannibals. They had done it just to do it. Now, as he stood staring down at the body of his former tormentor Near felt a wonderful sense of strength mixed together with a newfound sense of freedom he had attained being reunited with Mello and Matt…and L.

Frowning he bent down and picked up a hefty stone that rested at his feet. Taking his time he rolled it around in his hands as though inspecting it for an imperfection or something like that. He wiped at it with a milky white hand as though he were wiping away some dust. Near then sighed like it were troublesome for being dirty, and then turned towards Beyond, who was staring up at him through partially closed crimson eyes that held a world of corrupt defiance within.

Near's eyes were worse, being that they held nothing at all within their dark icy depths.

Matt started to move forwards, but was stopped by Mello. "Let him do what he wants." He whispered to his redheaded companion. "Don't you think the world is better off with that guy gone? And besides, doesn't Near deserve this? After everything…doesn't he deserve some retribution?"

"Yeah," Matt muttered knowing that his friend had more than just one point, "yeah, I guess so."

Near raised the stone high and with a single blow to an already damaged skull took out the last cannibal left in that forest world. Turning to his friends he felt warm, wet tears as they welled up in his eyes. He could only imagine what horrible things they must have been thinking. The blood stained his face, instead of his hands but he felt like he was wearing some red lukewarm gloves, rather than a red lukewarm mask. Dropping the stone he could only stare at his two friends, unsure if he wanted to be around them anymore.

"Near?" Mello called softly. "Are you okay?"

Turning his head away he sniffled a bit, though no tears fell.

"That was pretty hardcore." Matt said with a smile. He moved over to where stood beside the younger boy and put a reassuring arm around his shoulders. "You did the right thing, though, bud. We'd have done it if you hadn't." Looking to him with widened eyes Near swallowed nervously seeming unsure of whether or not to believe him.

"It's true." Mello insisted. "We'd have offed that freak if you didn't. After everything, after all this hell he's put us through I'd have damn well tortured him in every inhumane way possible. He was lucky it was you, Near. I don't think I'd have been so lenient and quick about it."

Pulling himself away from Matt he soon had his arms wrapped around Mello in a warm embrace. "Killing…is wrong." Near muttered into the blonde's ear, nuzzling against his shoulder and his body shaking. "No more…no more…."

"Okay," Mello promised, "okay, Near. No more killing. No more."

"Group hug!" Matt exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around his two friends, watching as a blush appeared on Near's face and Mello smirked. "Aren't we all so loved? I'm just glad this is all over now!"

"Yeah." Mello agreed. "Let's go home." Taking Near by the hand he let Near lead them off as they headed for home. They'd plunged into Cannibal Land and survived the darkness and the hell, now they headed off to start a new chapter in their lives. Now that all the fear was over they could be happy together.

They decided, upon leaving the forest that they were going to be friends forever.

* * *

**Too long? Have any fav parts? Did you like it? Sorry for all these questions, but I am VERY curious as to how my readers would respond to this bittersweet ending, but I thought it was pretty good.**

**Hope it was really nice and a great Christmas gift.**

**I'm just glad I finally wrappd this up nicely. Once again I thank you all. Please don't flame me too harshly.**

**;^3**

**~Luffles, Fairylust~**


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